Running With The Wolves
by MarinasDiamond
Summary: Ylva discovers that since Thor left, not Odin but Loki is sitting on the throne of Asgard. What happens when a new servant girl is able to see past Loki's illusions? LokixOC, set after Thor 2, rating may change
1. The Dream

_The wolves were howling, chasing their prey through the woods. Ylva's heart was pounding fast, she was excited and hungry - the wolves snarled when the scent of the deer got stronger._

 _Soon, they would tear their teeth in the bare flesh of the animal and Ylva wished she could be a part of pack, but she wasn't, she was only dreaming -_

"Ylva!"

Someone shook her violently, and the young woman opened her eyes. Instantly, her dream was gone, only leaving a strange metallic taste in her mouth.

"You should not be late" her father's voice sounded angry.

Ylva brushed her hair out of her face. The sun was only raising - she wasn't that late.

"You're having those dreams again, aren't you?" her father Ralf asked, this time a bit softer.

"Yes, father" Ylva nodded. She didn't understand why Ralf was so worried, but since the day she had told him about her recurring dream, her father acted strangely.

People from the village often came to him to have their dreams and visions explained, the only time they actually dared coming to the small hut near Vernwood.

Ralf left the room, mumbling something into his beard while his daughter got dressed.

The man was tall and strongly built, the dark hair and harsh features striking fear into everyone but his daughter. Yet he was only a lumberjack, not a warrior. A lumberjack with the rare gift of the sight.

Ylva picked a simple, lavender colored dress and braided her thick hair into a braid over her shoulder. It was the first day in the royal palace, and although it had been destroyed in parts by the Dark Elves, Ylva was excited to see the remains of Asgard's splendor.

The young woman had spent her entire life in Vernwood, apart from the people of the village.

She knew they were afraid of her father.  
Except for the visitors who asked for Ralf's dream interpretations and a few errand runs in the village, Ylva had more contact with their dogs and horses than with people.

And now Ralf Akesson was sending her away into the big city of Asgard, as if he had suddenly grown tired of her company.

"Goodbye, Ylva" Ralf muttered and kissed her daughter on the forehead. Ylva swallowed hardly. She was excited, yes, but she was also terrified.

"What if they don't take me?" she asked quietly, watching her father's reaction closely.

"They will" he simply said. Ralf Akesson had never been a man of many words.

Silently, he watched his daughter walk away, the young woman he had deeply cared about for 19 years. Ralf Akesson was heartbroken to lose the girl, but he knew she could no longer stay near Vernwood. The further she stayed away, the more she was among people, the less her heritage would actually break through.

OoOoO

"Imagine the gardens! Oh and the golden balconies! We will probably see Thor as well, he is so handsome, too bad we can't marry him" Kari gabbled happily.

Kari the farmer's daughter was one of Ylva's few friends. Just like Ylva, she was supposed to apply as a servant in the royal palace. Together with the twins Astrid and Ana, they spent two day travelling to the great city.

The young women's parents hoped they could not only gain position in the palace, but also learn how to behave like a lady and find an attractive husband.

The three girls spent their time chatting, while Ylva stayed silent, watching her feet while they walked the path up to the palace. The towers were already to be seen in the distance.

"Ylva, you're so quiet. Aren't you happy you can leave the woods for once?" Astrid asked, smiling teasingly.

"Hopefully they are in need of lumberjacks in the palace. I guess that's the only thing your father taught you" Ana added.

The twins had always been bold and insolent, but Ylva knew they weren't bad.  
"Don't listen to them, Ylva. We both know they would be too scared to even talk to Ralf Akesson" Kari chuckled, and Ylva smiled at her friend.

She was happy she didn't have to start her new life alone.

With every step she took towards to the palace, Ylva felt a tension leaving her shoulders. It was like the sun suddenly piercing through dark clouds, and Ylva began to imagine her encounter with Thor, the warrior three and the Allfather, King Odin.

OoOoO

Ragna Ragnasson filled the room with her presence. The woman was in her thirties, with a loud voice and bouncing red curls. Her pointy nose and thin lips made her look deprecative, but the chief servant warmly welcomed the new servant girls. Although neither of them had any experience in serving, Ragna just waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Many servant girls have left us because of the recent battle. They are afraid" Ragna explained as if being afraid of Dark Elves attacking the palace being totally displaced and ridiculous.

"You can't be worse than them. And the royal family will remember who stood by them in times of need" Ragna Ragnasson declared.

Although Ylva doubted the royal family even cared about the servant girls, she nodded in agreement.

Without further complications, the four women were named servants, dressed in the tradition clothing and sent away to the kitchen.

The palace was still overwhelmingly beautiful, but Ylva and Kari had little time to process their new surroundings. Everything was big and golden, so different than the green forrest of their home.

Ragna kept her servants busy, and so she spent the whole day peeling potatoes and carrying baskets of food.

"Sent that to Lady Sif's quarters. Tori, show the girl the way" Ragna commanded, and Ylva was sent to the other side of the palace to deliver dinner to the legendary warrior.

Sif's quarters were far away, and Ylva felt like walking through he palace took forever.

Suddenly, they stood in a big hall where marble columns were shattered on the golden patterned floor. The throne room, Ylva realized and looked to the older servant.

Tori whispered: "The passage ways around have been destroyed. We go quickly and silently, don't look up. The throne room is bigger than you think, the Allfather will not see us from here."

Ylva nodded and followed Tori. Her knuckles turned white from holding the plate tightely, and a sudden instinct draw Ylva into the room.

She wanted to see the Allfather.

She hid begind the columns, letting Tori walk away.

Ylva could not explain why she was disobeying on her first day of work.

She walked closer, thinking that she was already sensing the Allfather's magical presence.

Then - she could see his boots, his armor, his face - Ylva shrieked. The plates slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor.

* * *

 **Welcome to my second Loki fan fiction! I couldn't resist writing another one :D  
If you're interested in reading more, please let me know! :)  
xoxo & Liebe Grüße**


	2. The King

Loki was very pleased with himself.

Asgard was slowly but steadily recovering from the battle against the Dark Elves. The palace was built up again, Thor was on Midgard with his woman, the Eather was safely brought away from Asgard and Loki - he was finally the King he always designed to be.  
What did it matter if people thought he was actually Odin? Loki was a better ruler than Thor would ever have been once people payed him the respect he deserved.  
Indeed, King Loki was happy. Thor had renounced to the Throne for once and for all, even admitting he cared about Loki, which actually made Loki the legal ruler of Asgard.

Loki casually sat on the golden Throne of Asgard, listening to the concerns of an old lord. It was boring, really, but Loki knew a strong ruler needed to take care of things even if they were dull.

Suddenly, a sharp little scream pierced through the lord's speech, followed by the sound of shattering porcelain.

Loki immediately searched the room for the source of the noises and spotted a young woman standing in the shadow of a marble column. She was wearing the dress of a servant, but the more striking was how she stared at Loki.

"Allfather?" the lord asked softly, but Loki ignored him.

The girl's eyes were widened, her mouth slightly opened, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

Even when Loki stared back at her, she didn't look away, shock and fear mixing on her face.

It was only then Loki realized she was indeed seeing a ghost - she was seeing Loki in his true form.  
Loki suppressed a shiver. Perhaps he was being paranoid.

"What happened girl? What are you doing here?" Loki asked, mimicking Odin's way to speak.

For a very painful moment, Loki had no idea how to react.  
What if she started screaming again, telling everyone he wasn't the true Allfather?  
Again, it was possible he was misinterpreting the situation.

"Answer the Allfather, woman!" the old lord joined in.

Loki made a decision. If the girl lost one word about his true form, he would kill her and the lord immediately. He could not take any risk. So he waited for her to speak. A part of him still hoped he was mistaken, and that something else had shocked her.

„I…I… Apologies" she muttered, her pale face regaining some color.

 **OoOoO**

Ylva's brain feverishly tried to find the right words.  
The man on the thrones was not Odin Allfather. It was definitely Loki, the trickster god who had died in battle against Malekith. Black hair, green armour, lean figure, it all fit to his description.

Except it was not possible.  
It could not be him.  
Loki was dead.  
Maybe Ylva was going crazy. Maybe she was so exhausted her brain was playing tricks on her.

He looked at her, his eyes green and piercing, and Ylva feared she would faint.  
There was an something like an aura around him, like _magic_ \- but he was real. It was Loki Lauffeyson on the throne.

And now he radiated something else. _Danger_ , Ylva thought.  
She needed to do something, she decided, and the young woman finally awoke from her numbness.

"I.. I… Apologies" she muttered.

Ylva realized she had two possibilities: Tell everyone Loki was sitting on the throne of Asgard or play along with the trickster's illusion.

It felt like a hot weight dropping on her stomach. Her choice didn't matter. He would kill her anyways.

A part of her asked if her father would ever know who had killed her.  
Loki and the lord were waiting for her to speak, and Ylva decided the trickster would be more merciful when she played along.

"I am so sorry. It's my first day here and I was blinded by the… greatness of the Allfather. Forgive me, please" she muttered, looking down to the floor and curtsying.

"You dropped the plates, stupid girl. Clean this up!" the lord commanded.

Ylva nodded and obeyed. She felt Loki's gaze almost physically on her.

"I can forgive your reaction to this" Loki gestured towards the great hall, "as you are new here. Yet you had no business here. You have disobeyed your commander"

Ylva's hands were shaking as she picked up the plates. It was over. Loki was going to kill her right on the spot. Would her remaines be sent back to her father? Would Loki stab her, slit her throat or kill her with magic?

"Guards, take her to her room and lock her in. That will teach you not to put your nose where it doesn't belong" Loki commanded.  
The lord raised his eyebrows, surprised how severe Odin was to a servant girl.

Ylva didn't flinch when the guards grabbed her by her elbows. She didn't fight them.  
Apparently, Loki was delaying the inevitable. It was logical, since Odin should not execute a servant girl in front of the lords and the guards.

Her room was small, but pretty. The blankets and pillows on her bed were light yellow, like the walls.  
It wasn't not a harsh sentence to stay in the beautiful room, but Ylva knew there was more to follow. She burried her head in her hands, trying to tame the mess in her mind.

First, her father had the sudden idea to send her away. Then she moved into a completely unfamiliar surrounding, only to do something completely stupid on the first day.  
But the worst was not that she had tried to see the Allfather. The worst was that somehow, she had been able to see past Loki's trickery.  
And since no one was the least bit alarmed, she was apparently the only one to know.

For a moment, Ylva hesitated. Maybe she should try to escape the room and warn everyone. Although she had spent her life away from people, Kari loved babbling about the capitol and the royal family.

Ylva tried to reassemble all she knew about Thor's younger brother.

Loki had fallen into disgrace when tried to destroy Jotunheim and kept Thor from becoming King.

While everyone thought the Prince to be dead, he managed to bring a Chitauri army to Midgard, almost conquering the human race.  
Yet she completely ignored how he managed to escape his prison and to somehow replace the Allfather.

It didn't matter, she told herself. Even with the little she knew about the Asgardian Prince, it was sure he would kill her for knowing his secret. 

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It would mean a lot to me if you'd leave a review :)  
xoxo & Liebe Grüße


	3. The Servant

Loki could hardly listen to the rest of the lords. All he could think about was the servant girl.  
If she could see past his illusion, how many others could? She could be a witch, he suspected, although she didn't look like an experienced, educated magician. More like a young, scared girl. Yet she had been smart. She had lied earlier and played along, pretending to see the Allfather instead of Loki. It had saved her life for the time being.

When Loki made his way to her room, he was more than eager to find out the truth about that remarkable woman.  
He was disguised as a guard this time, while everyone else thought Odin was resting in his private chambers.

Loki opened the door without knocking, and found the girl sitting on her bed and staring out the window. She shrieked when the tall guard walked in and locked the door behind him.

Brown waves framed a triangular face, her skin had a warm golden tint. The girl's big, almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones were almost catlike, while her strong brows and pouty lips lend her a defiant look.  
She looked wild, Loki decided, not like a meek servant raised in the palace.

Again, she clearly didn't see a guardsman standing in front of her.  
He could see tears in her eyes as she curtsied.  
„My King" she said softly.

Loki smiled to himself. Now that she was safely locked up, he was not as tensed anymore. Actually, he was curious about the strange girl.

„I'm just a guard, my lady" he growled in the guard's voice. A last test, he thought.

She hesitated for a second, then shook her head.  
„I don't know why, but I can see you clearly, my king… Loki" the girl said with a raspy voice.

Loki grinned, slowly turning into his true form.

„What is your name, love?" he asked, enjoying her fear and confusion.  
„Ylva Akesson" she muttered.

„So tell me, Ylva Akesson, how can you see through my powerful cloaking magic when no one else can?" He asked, approaching the small woman.  
„I do not know, my king."

He was now towering above her, forcing her to look up.

Ylva suppressed a shiver. She tried to appease him by calling him King, foolishly hoping he would spare her after all.  
Prince Loki was taller than she had expected. She had never seen Thor before, but she could not imagine him being more impressive than Loki.  
Although he was lean, Loki definitely looked muscular. What really scared her was the cold, yet mischievous look in his green eyes.

There was a rumor about him, something Kari had implied. Some people believed he was a frost giant.

„It is treason to lie to your King, Ylva, do you know that?" he asked with his smooth voice.

„I know. I am not lying" Ylva answered, this time trying to sound stronger.

„Of course not. Why would a simple servant girl like you be so stupid to provoke my rage?" Loki smiled, and this time Ylva could not suppress the shiver running down her spine.

„I did not intend to. Apologies, Prince Loki, I did simply expect to see the Allfather on the throne"  
Ylva answered without thinking and instantly bit her tongue.

She had made a terrible mistake.  
„ _Prince_?" he sounded dangerously calm.  
„My King, apologies. I do not care who sits of the throne of Asgard. I am from a small village, I know nothing of the world nor of the Kings and Gods who rule it" Ylva hurried to correct her mistake.

Instead of answering, Loki cupped her face and slowly stoke over her skin. His green eyes didn't leave her hazel ones. Ylva wondered if he was deliberately intimidating people with his physical presence.

„It is simple, Ylva. I am your King, and you shall obey my every command" Loki almost whispered and stroke his thumb over the corner of her lip.

Ylva swallowed hardly and cleared her throat.  
„Yes my King. If I may ask something of you…" she started and Loki gestured her to continue.

„Is it possible to send a letter to my father before… he needs to know that I won't be coming back, otherwise it will break his heart, please, my King" Ylva tried to ignore the unexpected sensation of his touch on her skin

Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise. It took him a short second to understand what she was implying. Apparently, Ylva believed he had come to her room to kill her. To be truthful, it had been on his mind.  
But now that she had proven to be a smart, interesting young woman, Loki was inclined to let her live.

„Ahh my dear, that all depends on you" Loki smiled to her, letting his hand slide to her neck. He could feel her fastened heartbeat under his touch. There was nothing more satisfying to a hunter to have his prey frightened in a corner, he thought satisfied.

„You can either chose to serve your true King, or you can try to spill my little secret, in which case, I shall end your life right here without any mercy"

Ylva had not realized she was holding her breath during his speech. He was offering her a choice?  
That was extremely unexpected, she thought. On the other hand, nothing had prepared her for a life in the palace. Odin, Thor, Frigga, Loki - those were only names. Ylva and her father had cared for their woods, the trees and the animals, for the seasons and the moons, for the rivers and sees and for food on their plates, but never for politics or power.  
Suddenly, she was confronted to the silver tongued trickster god himself, and she was acting like a fool.

„A choice, my King?" she repeated. Loki's eyes sparkled with amusement.  
„Yes, dear. It is a rare gift. Serve me and live, betray me and die. Even a village girl should understand this" he said softly, releasing her neck.

The wilderness he had noticed before flamed up in her eyes.

„I want to live" she answered, raising her chin. Loki chuckled lightly.  
„Of course you do" he said and seemed to turn away.  
Ylva breathed out in relief when he swirled around in a swift movement. Before she could react, she was violently pushed against the wall with Loki's large hand pressed around her throat.

„Betray me in any way and I promise you and your family shall suffer immeasurable pain. Even my mercy has its limits. Do you understand that, Ylva Akesson?" he hissed into Ylva's ear, and every instinct in her screamed to run away and flee.

„I do. I swear, I will obey you, my king" she chocked. Suddenly, she was released.

Ylva coughed heavily when her lungs filled with air again.

Loki casually watched her regain composure and smiled mischievously.

„Perfect. Go back to work. I'll let Ragna Ragnasson know you are my personal servant from tomorrow on" he said casually, as if he didn't just threaten to kill her.  
Ylva frowned. This was practically giving her a raise.  
Loki noticed her confusion and grinned.  
„I can't let my precious servant out of my sight, can I?"  
Ylva shook her head. It was not a raise, she realized, it was a sentence. From now on, the King would make personally sure she would always keep her promise.

* * *

 _it's a little depressing not to have any reviews, it would be great if you'd let me know if you like the story or not :)_

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
xoxo & Liebe Grüße_


	4. The Trickster

When Ylva woke from her dream, she had the familiar metallic taste in her mouth.  
She desperately tried to cling to the images of the hunting wolves, but the happenings of the last days hit her instantly.  
Ylva lived in the royal palace.

Loki Lauffeyson had replaced and probably killed Odin.

Ylva was now the god of evil's personal servant.

Obviously, the start into her new life could have been better. Ylva sighed at the sight of her in the mirror. She looked pale and tired, and her hazel eyes stared back at her with a rushed expression.  
Ragna Ragnasson had accepted Ylva's raise without questioning. Kari and the twins on the other hand couldn't stop questioning her, but Ylva simply told them she had caught the Allfather's attention while walking through the hall.  
Instead of working in the kitchen, Ylva was assigned to the Allfather's private quarters.  
She was dressed in a long violet gown, simple but pretty, and her hair was tamed into a long braid down her back.  
Nervously, the woman made her way up the tower. She had no experience as a maid, but she did not know what Loki was expecting of her.  
Hesitantly, she stopped in front of the large door. Four guards stared down at her, and Ylva tried to look confident.

"The Allfather already expects you" one of them declared and pushed the door open.

Once inside, Ylva was impressed by the beauty of the big, wide quarters of the King.  
Odin sat on the large bed, grinning like no one would ever imagine the Allfather to smile.  
Ylva was confused. Wasn't she able to see past his illusions? Or could it be the real Allfather?  
No, it was Loki. The air around Odin was flimmering, and when Ylva focused, she could see the trickster in his true form.

"My King" she curtsied and waited for his command. She was getting more and more nervous.  
"You have seen me again, haven't you?" Loki exclaimed, getting up from the bed.  
"I tried another, slightly different kind of illusion, but you're even able to see past that. Impressive. Are you sure you are not a witch?" he asked cheerfully.

Ylva wondered if being called a witch by Loki was a compliment or an insult.  
"No, my king" she simply answered.

"Impressive" Loki repeated, taxing at her from head to toe.  
"You are the only one I allow to enter those private quarters. After all, I need to have some place to be myself" he explained. Ylva almost chuckled. With his charming demeanor, it was almost easy to forget how deadly the god of lies could be. She had to cover up the bruises around her neck with powder before starting her work.

"Apologies, my King, but I have no experience and only little time for getting instructions. May I fetch your clothes?" Ylva asked, trying not to let herself intimidate again.  
Loki was even more handsome in his simple dark green tunic, the young woman caught herself thinking.

Loki smiled again and walked towards her. Even without his armor, he looked like he could snatch her neck without effort nor remorse.  
"When we are alone in here, you may call me Loki" he said in a generous demeanor and added "do not worry, dear Ylva. I shall forgive your lack of education and take care of it myself. I will teach you everything you need to know"

Ylva nodded and nervously played with the ring on her finger. The last sentence almost sounded like a threat, she thought.  
"Today is my free day. The Allfather has to rest one day a week, which is the perfect opportunity for me to spent time with my new servant."  
Again, the way he pronounced the words made them sound like they were filled with hidden meanings.

"May I bring you breakfast?" Ylva proposed calmly.  
"Yes, you may. And I command you to take breakfast with me, dear" Loki demanded with a grin.

The girl had turned from a potential threat to his new shiny toy, Loki thought. It was interesting to see how much she differed from the other servant girls. They were always smiling, chuckling, chatting like hens, but meek and stupid.  
He had never really paid attention to them anyways.  
Ylva was obviously used to a harder life. She was not round and soft, rather slender and muscular. Loki truly enjoyed the way she reacted to him. Ylva was definitely afraid of him, but she wasn't showing it. She was not crying nor shaking in terror how he would expect women to do.

Although Loki enjoyed being King, he admitted he was lonely. He had to play Odin the whole day, and he could not reveal himself to anyone. He could not have company without risking exposure.

Loki was truly lucky, he thought. Ylva could serve him in many ways, and she was definitely nice to look at.

The girl came back with their breakfast, consisting of fresh fruit dipped in honey.  
She closed the door behind her, and Loki gestured towards the chair in front of him.  
„Sit down and eat, Ylva" he demanded.

The servant obeyed silently, and Loki watched her biting into a strawberry. She had perfect pouty lips, he thought. He noticed a little scar on her chin. The Ladies of the court never had any scars.

"So tell me, love, has anyone in your family magical powers?" he asked curiously.  
She swallowed and looked up. Her big hazel eyes met his, and Loki saw the obvious distrust.  
"I only have my father. He has the Sight" she said hesitantly. Good girl, she knew lying wouldn't make any sense.

"Has he visions of the future?"  
"Not often. But he can interpret other people's visions and dreams. He mostly _knows_ things" Ylva explained as good as she could.

"What else does he do for a living?"  
"He's a lumberjack, but we also have a few dogs, horses and sheep" Ylva answered, raising her chin. It didn't matter to her if Loki was the King. She was proud of her father and always would be.

"Why did you come to the palace, Ylva?" Loki asked, not reacting to Ylva's revelation that she was a lumberjack's daughter.

Ylva hesitated. She didn't actually know why she was sent to the palace. For 19 years, it had been clear she belonged to Vernwood. Her father had only recently decided she need to find a job and marry a decent man.  
Loki noticed her hesitation, and mistakenly took it for defiance.  
"I asked you a question and I demand you to answer, love"

"My father said I should have a job fit for a woman. And I should…" she swallowed, and Loki immediately became impatient again.  
"What?"  
"I have to find a husband" Ylva finished.

With delight, Loki saw the girl's cheek redden under her golden tanned skin.  
He chuckled and bit into his apple, savoring her insecurity for a bit longer.

"How convenient the Allfather has taken a liking on you" he smiled smugly.  
For the first time, he saw a smile lighting up her face. It softened her features, turning her into an unordinary beauty.

The rest of the morning, Loki patiently explained her duties. Nothing about him reminded her of the wicked monster people painted him to be, although Ylva knew he could turn into the god of evil within seconds.  
But Ylva listened attentively, determined to do her job the best way possible.

A few times, Loki decided to test her magical skills and asked her to sit on chairs which were only his created illusions. As a child, he had often laughed when people sat down on thin air instead of wood.  
Ylva simply raised her dark eyebrows and declined. Apparently, she had inherited the Sight from her father. She simply saw through Loki's tricks as if they were nonexistent.

For the rest of the day, Loki dismissed her with the instruction to come back the next morning. 

Ylva rejoined the other servant girls, Kari, Astrid and Ana, who were already expecting her, bursting with questions as soon as she stepped in.  
How the Allfather was, why he had picked her, if he was severe, if she had managed to please him, if she could return the next day - Ylva patiently answered, mixing lies with the truth.

Even Ragna listened curiously.  
"Well done, Ylva" she said, patting the girl's shoulder, "It is an honor to serve the Allfather himself"  
Ylva smiled and nodded. If only they knew, she thought.

"Really, why did he pick you?" Ana asked with disbelief.  
"No one told him her father is a murderer" Astrid said, turning every one silent.

Ylva stared at her, shocked. "Excuse me?"  
"Oh come on, even you know about the rumors. Bard Birgerson's hunting accident? Mother says no one dared to speak against your father, but everyone knows it's true. Akesson killed Bard" Ana joined in.

Ylva clenched her fists. Of course she had already heard of the rumors. Bard Birgerson was her mother's first husband and died on a hunting accident, a hunt her father had taken part of as well. It was known Ralf Akesson was in love with her mother, and some of the older people in the village still believed Ralf to be a murderer.  
Nothing was ever proven, and Ylva believed her father to be innocent.

"It was an accident" Ylva said sternly, getting up from the table. Ragna looked worried, Kari guilty, the twins satisfied.

"If you think the Allfather will care about the rumor, fine, I guess I will simply tell him" Ylva declared and walked away.

All the way to her chambers, Ylva fought with the urge to cry. The twins were jealous of her position, but they ignored that Ylva had to deal with the god of evil himself. She had not chosen to be the only one to see him in his true form, she had not chosen her father, and he had not killed her mother's first husband.

It was unfair, Ylva thought bitterly. If she could be a wolf from her dream, she could run away. She would be strong, wild, untamed, always with a pack.

But Ylva wasn't a wolf. She was a girl with a rare gift that had put her in a very unfortunate situation. 

* * *

_Thanks to the nice guest who left a review :)_

 _Btw, I apologize for all the language and grammar mistakes, English is not my native language._

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
_  
 _xoxo & Liebe Grüße _


	5. The Wolf

_Ylva was running right behind Pack Leader, following him through the dark Vernwood.  
The familiar feeling of freedom and hunger overwhelmed her, and Ylva allowed herself to deeply breathe in the fresh air.  
There was one scent that disturbed the harmony of the woods, Ylva noticed. Something that smelled too much like a person, but _cold.  
 _The dream changed. The wolves howled a last time, and the pack leader looked up to her, worry reflecting in his golden eyes. „Come with us" he seemed to say, but Ylva shook her head.  
She needed to find the cold person. After a while, Ylva found a beautiful, old oak. The scent was getting stronger, and she turned around only to find Loki in front of her. _

_"There's my dear servant" he said lightly and scanned her from head to toe in his typical manner. Embarrassed, she noticed she wore a plain grey dress. Her hair was not braided, it was a messy and tangled with leaves, and her feet were bare and dirty.  
"I am sorry, my King, I look-"_

 _"You look like a little wolf. My little wolf" Loki teased, "is this what you dream about? Running through the woods?"  
Ylva could hardly focus on what the trickster said. Her senses were heightened, and the thrill of the hunt was still rushing through her veins.  
_

 _"What did you say?" she asked bluntly, and the trickster laughed.  
"Nothing, little wolf. Tell me, what else do you dream about?" he asked and pressed her against the tree.  
Her instinct told her to fight back. He was not her Alpha. She struggled, but Loki was stronger.  
He grabbed her waist with one hand and pushed her hair aside so that her neck was bare.  
The kiss he planted on her sensitive skin made her growl. _

_His teeth slightly touched her skin._

 _Loki chuckled deeply again and pushed his hands slightly under her dress, pushing the fabric up.  
He looked closely at her reaction, she could feel his gaze through her half closed eyes.  
"You are one of them…" Loki breathed, but Ylva was too distracted by his touch to actually listen. The wolf inside her was angry, ready to attack again, the girl on the other hand longed for more, wanted to submit, wanted his hands on her body - then he kissed her, and the cold lips crashed on hers, and both the wolf and the girl knew the fight was lost.  
"And now you are mine" the trickster added, his voice piercing through the fog of her mind._

 _"You are mine, little wolf."_

Ylva woke up, her chest rising and falling heavily. Embarrassed, she recalled the scenes of her dream. It was the first time someone else appeared in her wolf dreams, and Ylva didn't need her father to know how much of an impact Loki apparently had on her.  
It was scary too lose control, she thought as she tried to fix her hair, even if it was only in a dream.

Still confused, she made her way up to Loki's chambers, his breakfast already ready. She took a deep breath, trying to push the distracting thoughts away.

As she walked into the room, she realized she had utterly failed. Loki's bare chest immediately made her blush, and she hoped the trickster didn't realize.  
"My king" she greeted.

Loki grinned at her, and Ylva was happy he could not read her thoughts. _Only a dream_ , she reminded herself.

"You will not believe what I discovered, my dear" Loki said cheerfully, sitting down at the small table, "Please, have breakfast with me" he invited her, and Ylva joined him.

"What have you discovered?" Ylva asked, trying to mask her insecurity.  
Loki's green eyes stared at her intensely.

"Quite impatient, aren't we, little wolf?"

Ylva shrieked. "Why would you call me that?" she asked, her voice almost breaking away.  
Her heart beat painfully in her chest until Loki finally answered.

"Oh I think you already know that, little wolf. I'm the god of lies, lying to me has no point" Loki said, savoring the effect his words had on her. Realization. Embarrassment. Anger. All displaying on her face.

"You… visited me in my dreams" she said, without even asking.

Loki grinned viciously at the poor girl. She was a beautiful girl at his service and he was a trickster god - he just had been to tempted to resist.

And he had not been the slightest disappointed by the Ylva he had met last night.  
"I recall you being quite eager to find me, dear. I must ask you to wear shorter dresses when you work for me. They fit you much better than this" he gestured to her long gown.

"This is insolent, even for a King" Ylva growled. Loki bend over to her, quick as a snake.  
"You seemed to enjoy it."

"I did not know you were really inside my dream. This is rude and inappropriate" Ylva accused, clenching her fists angrily.

"I could have taken it much further. You would not have objected" Loki insisted with a smug grin.  
Ylva painfully recalled her reaction to his touch.  
"What stopped you?" she asked between clenched teeth.

"There would be no fun in it, wouldn't it? Besides, they all prefer it to be more... real" Loki answered. The way he talked about „them" made Ylva think of all the other women the Prince must have had before. Did he torment them all the same way he tormented her?  
"You had no right to do that" Ylva declared, not bothering about the punishment she would probably get for speaking up so openly.

"I apologize, Ylva" Loki said with raised eyebrows, not sounding the least bit sorry.  
"Now let me tell you what I found out about you, little wolf"

Ylva nodded slowly, curious about what Loki would say.

"Hundreds of years ago, the woods around the city of Asgard were still inhabited by many magical beings like wargs, dwarfs, witches and werewolves. The world changed, and most of them slowly disappeared. Some of them are hiding, others were hunted down.  
The werewolves for example were completely distinct."

Loki pointed towards the paige of his book. A enormous beast was howling at the full moon.

"The wolves were beasts during the night and men during the day, yet some of them had children who were unable to turn into animals. They were weaker and possessed less magical powers, but when men started hunting the wolves, those children were the only ones to survive. They lived on and passed the gene along."

The trickster waited for Ylva to react, but her hazel eyes were still fixed on the book.  
"I can't turn into a wolf. I have only dreams" she reminded him.

"And you can see past my illusions" Loki corrected her.

"You think I am one of those... children?""

"The children, the Descendants, they still had many abilities of the werewolves. The Sight is one of them, intuition, increased strength and health, a magical connection to nature… you have all of those things, Ylva."

Ylva blinked, trying to process this new information. A part of her knew it was true. Her wolf dreams felt too real, too meaningful. Also, Odin's adopted son was known to be intelligent, and the books piling up in Loki's room proved of his thirst of knowledge. If someone could find out the truth, it was him.

"What else? Will I turn into a monster?" Ylva asked wearily.

Loki was surprisingly compassionate, and his voice was soft and gentle as he continued.

"No, you won't. But the werewolf gene also brings heightened aggression and anger. Some of the Descendants are unable to control themselves when they feel threatened or when they hunt"

This time, it was harder for Ylva to accept what Loki had just said.

 _When they feel threatened or when they hunt…_

"My father" the young woman breathed. Loki slightly tilted his head in confusion.  
"He murdered Bard Birgerson. They were hunting together, and my father was in love with Bard's wife. He _killed_ him."

Loki stayed silent. He remembered the day he found out he was Laufey's son.

Just like Ylva, he was a monster parents warned their children about.

"You can stay in my quarters for today if you like" Loki proposed generously. Ylva shook her head.

"Thank you for the offer. But work will distract me. There's nothing I can do about it anyways" she said matter-of-factly.

Loki nodded, impressed by the young woman's calmness.

She picked up his gaze and smiled sadly: "Thank you, my king. Thank you for telling me what I really am"

The trickster saw how honest Ylva was "You already knew that, little wolf."

He stood up, preparing to turn into Odin again, "Besides, I can already imagine a few ways you can show your gratitude to me" he declared teasingly, slowly taking the Allfather's form.

Ylva blushed, the images of the last night still sticking to her. „I bet you do, my king" she sighed and rolled her eyes.

She definitely needed a way to exclude Loki from her dreams.


	6. The Maiden

Loki turned the pages of the old book.  
He wished he had someone he could share his new discovery with. Werewolves were creatures that only existed in tales, and the prove that some of their descendants were still alive and blessed with magical powers was extraordinary.

Neither Thor nor Odin would ever had made the connection between Ylva and the descendants.  
Partly out of curiosity, partly out of the prospect to unsettle his young servant, he had decided to visit her dream.

Loki had not been the slightest bit disappointed of the Ylva he found. Her hair was messy, but in his opinion it only accentuated her high cheekbones and strong jaw. The girl's eyes flashed yellow when he called her a little wolf, and Loki could feel the wild aura surrounding her.

It was tempting, arousing, and it awoke the desire t to tame the woman. He took advantage of her unconscious state, only to find out what would happen if he provoked Dream-Ylva.  
She growled, and again, he noticed the yellow flash in her eyes.

She was one of them, Loki thought. Ylva Akesson belonged to the wild creatures of her dream, she was part of the pack.  
Loki Lauffeysson marveled. The girl was so much more than he'd expected, and he, Loki, had found the reason behind her strange ability to see past his visions.  
He kissed her, but decided he would not farther take advantage of her. The little wolf was his pet now anyways, and her kisses would be even sweeter in reality.

When he woke up, he stayed up the whole night roaming books about mythology and history.

Even the trickster had not encountered anything like Ylva before. Soon he found the old stories about the werewolves and their descendants, humans with magical powers.  
The book claimed the wolf-heritage was lost among them hundreds of years ago, and that nothing remained of those legendary creatures.

Ylva was the living prove that their heritage still existed.

Loki wondered what else she could do. Apparently, both her and her father could see through magic and had a heightened intuitive sense.  
Perhaps he could find out more simply by observing Ylva.

For the first time, he was not the only monster or freak around. Although he could hardly call Ylva a freak, he didn't doubt people would call her such if they knew.

Loki decided to protect her, to teach her.

The sun was sinking, bathing his chambers in golden light. He had taken part of councils, spoken to various lords, supervised the building of the palace, and now the god would finally rest.  
Ylva had stood by him, served him food and done everything to his liking.  
Loki could not help but notice how most lords and guards stared at her.  
Her distinct features, dark hair and tanned skin made her stand out between the usual tall blondes.

The king felt a sting of jealousy when he remembered how wantonly they had followed her with their eyes, and Loki had never been good at handling his jealousy.

"Guard! Tell Lady Ylva to draw me a bath" he barked in Odin's voice, and heard the guard walking away.

Really, the day Loki found Odin with Malekith's blade between his rips had been the luckiest one in his life. Thor thought Loki to be dead, Loki took Odin's place - and now he everyone in the palace was obeying his orders.

He obviously deserved it. After his suffering and many defeats, it was time his fate changed to the better.

Ylva knocked and entered.

She wore a green dress, something Loki very much appreciated. Her hair was braided into an up-do, and Loki noted she was chewing on her lip.  
Perhaps it had been a mistake to call her. Jealousy and lust were not a safe combination.

"My King" Ylva curtsied.

She wasn't making it any better, Loki thought.  
Before everything went down, Loki had never had trouble to find company for the nights. He was not as handsome as Thor, but still a Prince of Asgard.  
Between Loki's plans to conquer Midgard, his sentence to prison, the attack of the Dark Elves and his mother's death, there had not been any time for this kind of pleasure.  
Ylva was definitely attracted by him, her dream only proved it.

"I want you to draw me a bath" Loki instructed and closely observed her face. A blush, followed by raised eyebrows.  
"A bath?" she echoed, almost sounding sarcastic. The wolf was becoming bold, Loki thought, already imagining the outcome of this night in his head.

Ylva was sure she misheard him. What exactly did Loki imagine? Ylva had not forgotten he was a mad, power-hungry god, and one good action would not make her drop her clothes for him.  
At least she suspected he was heading there. She didn't know actually, since she never had much contact with men of her age, not enough to judge Loki's actions.  
But the way his eyes devoured her made her shiver, and he had made his interests quite clear.  
Ylva would not let him toy with her.

She didn't know if female servants were expected to serve their superiors like that. Judging by the amount of pretty blonde girls at court, Thor and Loki were probably used to have them all at their disposal.

"Yes, a bath. You heard me right, little wolf" Loki said, grinning his trademark smug grin.  
Stupid trickster, she thought. A handsome face and pretty eyes were not enough to make Ylva Akesson forget her honor.

"As you wish" she simply said and moved towards the bathroom.

Loki enjoyed watching her drawing his bath. A stubborn expression had replaced the insecurity, and she had her lips tightly pressed together.

"The bath is ready."

"Ylva, would you be a dear and help me undress" Loki said with played innocence.  
Did he always torment people like that? Why was she suddenly the victim of one of his pranks. Ylva may was unexperienced, but it was clear this was some kind of game to him.  
What could she do? He could turn into the cold killer within seconds and choke her like the last time she defied him. He could be offended and angry if she refused.

Ylva decided to play along as long as she was able to.

"Of course."

Carefully, she opened the straps of his armor. Loki was perfectly able to get rid of his armor with magic. But apparently he wanted to test how far he could go.

Trying not to touch him, she peeled the plates away.

Loki could not stop smiling. The wolf girl was adorable, being all careful and shy. The usual servant girls would have stripped him from his armor within seconds.

"Why stop?" he asked and raised his thin eyebrow when the plates were removed.  
For a second, Ylva looked puzzled. Then she caught herself and nodded. With her small hands, she undid the laces of his tunic.  
Now she was close enough to feel his cool breath on her skin.  
His face was even more perfect from this perspective. She immediately suppressed those forbidden thoughts. Loki was not perfect. He was a violent, manipulative traitor.

"Everything alright, little wolf?" Loki asked in his most charming tone.

"What are you doing?" Ylva asked more bluntly than intended.

"I am literally fulfilling your dreams" he answered, his voice hoarse. Ylva's heart started pounding hard in her chest, and she tried to look away, avoiding his gaze.

"This is inappropriate" Ylva breathed, but Loki cupped her chin with his long fingers and forced her to look up.  
"What the king demands can never be inappropriate, my dear."  
"I am just a village girl, I know nothing of these things" she said sternly, repeating what she had said to him when they first talked.  
"You are not a village girl anymore. You are mine and I will teach you anything you need to know" Loki declared, bringing his head closer to her.  
Her almond-shaped eyes widened.

"Is that how you treat all of your servants?" she asked, defiance returning to her glance.

Loki chuckled lightly.

"Most of them begged me to treat them like that."

"I haven't begged for it."  
"No little wolf, you haven't. But your dreams reveal your most secret desires, and you can't hide them from me."  
"My dreams mean nothing. You had no right to enter them."  
She was a stubborn thing, Loki thought delighted. He fairly enjoyed her spirit.

"That is precisely what you do not understand, my dear. As a king, I am allowed to do what I want and to take what I want" he declared and bent down to kiss her.  
As she didn't protest, he hungrily demanded entrance to her mouth, continuing where they had left off in their dreams.  
Ylva moaned and kissed him back, right before pulling away.

"Please.. Loki" she said breathlessly.  
Loki was impatient, determined to soothe his jealousy by making her his.  
"What is your problem?" he asked roughly, and Ylva shrieked at his angry tone. Loki had experienced enough rejection in his life, he was not letting a simple servant girl be one of them.

Ylva noticed the hurtful look on Loki's face. She decided to be honest with both him and herself.

"My king, my problem.. is not with you" she started hesitantly, and she took all her courage to speak on.

„I admit I find myself quite attracted to - " she was not able to finish, so she made a undefined hand gesture at him.

"But I came here to find a husband. How can I find one if my honor is damaged?" she asked and Loki frowned.  
"Your honor?" he asked as if she was speaking nonsense.  
"Yes, my king. My honor" Ylva repeated, hoping he was understanding.

Loki realized what she was explaining him in a very confusing way.

"You have never done this before" he stated and Ylva breathed out shockingly, nodding unsurely.

Loki could almost slap himself for not realizing it before. The little wolf was untouched, and he was constantly pushing her into something she was completely unexperienced with.

It only made her more alluring, but he needed to be more patient.

The hazel eyes were still fixed on him, and Loki smiled softy. He pushed a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear and watched her shiver.

"Don't be afraid. Have I not been kind and merciful towards you?"

"I am not scared" Ylva declared loudly, not wanting to be defined by this small detail. It didn't made her pure or weak or any different than all his other women, it changed nothing.

"Prove it, little wolf. Take what you want. What does it matter if it is a dream or reality? I promise I will do nothing you don't ask of me"  
Again, Loki's words hid so many more meaning. Everything he said seemed to have multiple layers.

Ylva was undecided. Her body was reacting to him, and she admitted she actually enjoyed his touch. But on the other side she was not ready to submit to the dangerous trickster god, only because he thought he could have any servant he wanted.

She observed his chest, the curves of his muscles, the white skin, covered by a few, thin scars.

Loki patiently let her follow their trail with the tip of her finger.  
Then she tentatively took his hand in hers and let him cup her face again. Both their hands trailed down to her neck, to her breasts, to her waist.

Ylva let his hand rest on her hip and took his face into her hands, getting on her toes to kiss him.

The previously immobile Loki suddenly began to move and swirled around, trapping her between him and the wall. His kiss became devouring again, and Ylva found herself out of control as well.  
Loki's hands were all over her body now, caressing, demanding, and Ylva allowed herself one last second before she pulled away.

"You may be the King, but that does not entitle you to anything. I am a person, and you can not 'take me'" she said sternly. "If this is ever going to happen, it will happen on my terms" Ylva pushed her chin forward and turned away, leaving Loki's chambers without looking back at him. Maybe he would make her pay later for defying him again, but it didn't matter. She knew she had made the right choice.

Loki watched her go, puzzled about her sudden change of mind. He had underestimated her. She really wasn't like the rest of them.

* * *

 _FINALLY a new chapter! :D I am sorry it took so long, but I was a bit stuck and then just stopped writing. Anyways, let me know if you're still interested in this story.  
_ _And special thanks to Line-Fangirl (and her_ _bff ;)) for giving me the motivation I needed!  
_ _xoxo & Liebe Güße_


	7. The Moon

Two moons shone above Asgard, and Ylva stood on her balcony to watch them, bathing in their soft light.

Cool air brushed her face, and Ylva imagined being at home again, where the air always smelled like pines and leaves.  
Did Loki feel at home in Asgard, or was his heart longing for icy cold of Jotunheim? Intuitively, Ylva knew the rumors were true: Loki was a frost giant, changed into human form by the Allfather.  
Was his Jotun heritage the reason for his greed and vengefulness? Loki had tried to destroy worlds after all, causing pain and death.

The same question could be asked about her father. Ralf Akesson was a murderer, but had it even been his choice? What if the wolf blood was too strong for the man? Or did Loki and her father use their heritage as an excuse for their own terrible crimes?

„Little wolf?" suddenly, Loki appeared out of thin air next to her, but Ylva didn't shriek. After what happened, she had already expected him to turn up.

„My king" Ylva was surprised to his his features relaxed and friendly. After all, she had rejected him, and Loki was not known to take that lightly.

„I am here to apologize. I was wrong to assume you were mine by any right. Please know that your dreams are safe from now on"

Yvla was touched by his honesty, and turned around to face him.  
„I accept your apology" she didn't want to further complicate their relationship, and she was happy she had more time and space to think about what she truly wanted.

Loki nodded gracefully. Ylva doubted he often apologized, so she added with a smile: „I do appreciate that coming from a King"

The trickster smiled and asked: „What were you thinking about, little wolf?"

„About monsters" Ylva answered without thinking. She could feel Loki tense next to her again.

„Apologies, I did not mean it like that" the young woman immediately explained, but Loki's features softened.  
„I can not blame you for fearing me, my dear. I am, indeed, a monster" Loki said, and Ylva was surprised by all the sadness and bitterness in his words.

„I am one too" Ylva stated, watching the moon over Asgard. Loki laughed softly and turned her around, taking her into his arms.

„Little wolf, you may be a descendant, but you are far from being a monster. I destroyed cities. I killed people and I tried many times to kill Thor. What have you ever done evil in your life?"

„Nothing yet. But for how long? My father lied to me, send me away instead of telling me who I was and _I am so angry at him."_

Loki watched her hazel eyes filling with tears. For a second, Ylva reminded him of himself, when Odin told him why he had brought him to Asgard, why he could never love him equally as Thor.  
Loki had been heartbroken, weak, but he had found a way to channel his rage.

The god brushed a strand of dark hair out of her face, tucked it behind her ear.

„You are allowed to give into your true nature, Ylva" Loki simply said.

„Like you did?" Ylva asked defiantly. Loki mercilessly stared down at her.  
„See where it brought me" he gestured around him, showing Asgard's splendor beneath them, „Odin always promised me I would be King one day, and here I am, finally living up to this promise"

Ylva stayed silent. Vernwood and the few people living near it were so much less complicated. They did not care about power, nor did they have the time for it. But Loki may claimed to want power, but Ylva realized he had always longed for something much simpler: The love of his father and the adoration Thor received.

Ylva chuckled when a memory crossed her mind. Kari, the twins and her, sitting in the middle of the strawberry field, eating and chatting until their parents found them.

„What is so funny?" Loki snapped, and Ylva shook her head apologizing.

„In my village, no one has ever seen the royal family, but some girls loved collecting stories about you from traveling merchants. One time, we had one very awfully mean tax collector send from court in our village, Larsson or Liamsson I think.  
He behaved like a brute, bullied the local girls, and we all wondered how a man like that had such a high position. Larsson moved away eventually to other villages, one where the Princes of Asgard buy their precious horses.

You, the Prince, apparently noticed how disgusting Larsson was and helped the village people out" Ylva told him, a little smile on her lips.  
Loki vaguely recalled the man, but it had been some time ago and nothing worth mentioning.

„You temporarily turned him into a frog" Ylva bursted into laughter. Even Loki had to grin. It sounded very much like his old self.

„Anyways, you became Vernwood's hero. We knew nothing about the Allfather or about Thor, only that they were great warriors, but everyone felt like you would care about our interests as well. Or at least be more approachable.  
Kari even told me she wanted to marry you. She would be so jealous if she knew how well I know you" Ylva finished with a grin.

Loki was completely taken aback. He had always believed people admired Thor more than him, and this village girl was telling him they actually preferred him over the rest over his family.

„It was nothing, really"

Ylva looked down, starting to chew her lip again. „You are gods, Loki. For you it may be nothing, but for us…"

„So you're telling me your people appreciated me more than Thor?" Loki asked skeptically, not sure if he should believe her tale.  
Ylva shrugged, smiling again.

„Tell me one thing, Loki, have you taken the throne simply because you want this power or did you take it because you believe you can be a better ruler than Thor and the Allfather?"

Loki didn't even have to think about it. He knew from the beginning that Thor was irresponsible King, and later Loki had realized that even Odin wasn't a good leader and even less of a good father.  
Loki remembered when he let the frost giants into the palace the day Thor was supposed to be crowned. That day, Loki had not thought about himself becoming a ruler, he had only wanted to prove how unfit Thor was for that position.

„You have done terrible things, I can not deny that. But it is quite obvious you are the better leader for Asgard" Ylva finished.

Loki smiled. It was the first time someone actually spoke that fact out loud, and Loki loved how rational and pragmatic Ylva formed her opinion about him.

Ylva noticed how Loki relaxed, like he had always longed to hear those words.  
She kissed him on the cheek, a sign of affection that truly delighted him.

„Good night, my King" she muttered and left him on the balcony.

* * *

 _Hey guys, I know there's not much happening in that chapter, but I included some thoughts I had when I watched the movies - like Odin being a shitty father or Loki probably being a better King than Thor..._

 _I hope you enjoyed that chapter and please leave a review!  
Have a nice day,  
xoxo & Liebe Grüße_


	8. The Pack Leader

_The pack leader stared at her, yellow eyes taxing her every move. He sniffed and walked away from her, as if saying she smelled strangely. Ylva knew what was wrong with her, she smelled_ cold.

"Follow me." _the sound of the pack leader sounded in her head. How was this possible? She could hear the wolf's voice in her dream? Silently, the wolf headed forwards, not waiting for her answer. Ylva decided to follow._

 _It seemed like hours they walked through the woods, and Ylva felt the air becoming colder. Her feet hurt, her dress was tangled with leaves and thorns, and she began to freeze. But the pack leader didn't stop. The trees began to change, and soon pines towered above them._

 _Something cold dropped on Ylva's skin. Snow.  
The pack leader continued walking, and Ylva began to feel desperate. She was hungry, tired, cold, drained, but she knew she had to obey the pack leader. Suddenly, there were no trees on the sides. The scenery in front of her was completely white, grey winds swirling around the snow around her feet._

 _Suddenly, Ylva could not see the pack leader anymore. She was alone in the snow storm, and the grey fur was nowhere to be seen._

 _The world seemed to turn around, and Ylva was covered in a thick coat of snow.  
The young woman laid down, letting the snow warm her, and she thought that it didn't matter. She would freeze to death and it would be alright._

 _Would she only die in her dream? Again, it didn't matter to her. Nothing mattered anymore. Her heartbeat was getting slower, and even her dream began to fade, to become a swirling mass of grey and white._

 _„Get up." pack leader demanded._

 _„Get up and go back to your pack."_

 _„I can't" Ylva answered. Or she wanted to answer. She could not hear her voice._

 _„No, you can't. You're weak, human" pack leader sneered._

 _„I know."_

 _„This is the path you're taking, through ice and storm. This is your fate. But you are a weak human and you will die here."_

 _A small moan escaped Ylva's lips. She had imagined her future to be a lot different._

 _„Open your eyes girl."_

 _Ylva opened her eyes, although her eyelids were frozen._

 _Yellow eyes stared back at her._

 _The cries of a baby pierced through the howling of the storm. „Who is there?" Ylva asked, and the pack leader answered emotionlessly._

 _„The frost giant. He has been left to die, and you can not save him. He has lost his pack a long time ago. Decide now, girl. Our blood runs strongly in your veins, but you can walk away from it. Are you a human, or do you belong to the pack?"_

 _Ylva could not think clearly. The cries of the baby sounded painfully in her ears._

 _„Are you a human or a child of the moon?" the yellow-eyed wolf asked again._

 _She wanted to sleep, she wanted to stay under the snow forever. But the baby was still crying, and the yellow eyes were merciless._

 _There was something inside her, the wolf, she realized, that wanted to fight. That wanted to wake up, as painful as it may be._

 _„I am a child of the moon" Ylva said, and now she heard the howling of the wolves in the distance. They were coming to rescue her._

 _„Welcome to the pack, wolf." Pack leader's eyes sparkled satisfied._

Ylva woke up in her bed, realizing she had almost overslept.  
Quickly, she tried to fix her hair and watched into the mirror.

Her golden skin was pale, and she had dark violet circles under her eyes. She looked awful, but her dream had been awful as well.

It had felt as real as the other wolf dreams, but she had almost died in it. And she had taken a decision. Ylva shook her head, trying to chase the alarming thoughts from her head. No one could take decisions in a dream.

Yet she knew what she had to do. Still shaking, she walked to Ragna Ragnasson and asked for the day off. Ragna nodded worriedly, seeing the girl was a wreck. Ragna promised to replace her as Odin's servant for the day.

Exhausted, Ylva made her way to the stalls and asked for a horse. She was allowed to lend it for one day, and she opted for a young fox colored mare.  
She sighed. She had rarely felt so terrible in her life. Actually, Ylva did not recall ever being sick, and now the woman felt like she could sleep through the whole day.  
She hoped Loki would not take it the wrong way when she disappeared. But she was sure that only Ralf Akesson could give her the answer she hoped for.

The mare was ready, and Ylva prepared leave, when a light chuckle alarmed her.

„A girl like you should not travel alone" the stable boy said casually. Except it wasn't the stable boy, it was a cloaked Loki. Ylva shook her head sheepishly.

She looked like she had not slept for several nights in a row.

„Are you ill?" he asked and Ylva cleared her throat nervously.  
„I don't know. Maybe."

Loki stepped forward and grabbed her hand. Softly, he let his magic run through her body, searching for a sign of sickness. But she was alright. In fact, she was more than alright.

„What happened to you?" he breathed, surprised by her state. Ylva had a strong magical aura, but it was completely unfamiliar to him. The dark haired woman stayed quiet, her hazel eyes filled with fear.

„I don't know" she repeated. Loki placed his hand on her forehead, and found her burning hot.

Ylva was looking worse in each passing second. Suddenly, her legs gave and she broke down. Quickly, Loki caught the collapsing woman before she hit the ground. Ylva's eyes flashed yellow before she closed them, breathing heavily.


	9. The Father

"I am bringing you to your father" Loki decided. Her kind of magic was nothing he had ever experienced, but he remembered her saying her father possessed the Sight. Akesson would know what his daughter suffered from.

"Ylva? Ylva? You need to guide us. I don't know where you live" Loki said intensively, softly picking the girl up so that he could carry her. She was still breathing heavily, her face red and hot.

His servant nodded tiredly, and Loki began the teleportation spell. It was long and complicated, but there was no faster way. Hopefully, Ylva was conscious enough to picture the place in her mind. Green fog enveloped them, and in less than a second Loki stood in front of a small, wooden hut, surrounded by a intimidatingly high forrest.

"Ylva!" a raspy, deep voice greeted them, and Loki was impressed by the man whom it belonged.  
Tall, muscular and the face of a brutal warrior, but Loki instantly recognized the soft hazel eyes.

Without thinking, Loki had stayed in the appearance of a simply stable boy, but he was not the slightest surprise when Ylva's father asked him to enter: "Follow me, Lauffeysson."

Loki flinched at the sound of the name. He had already a sharp reply on his tongue, but Ylva was unconscious in his arms.

He brought her into the cabin, which was not as small as it appeared from the outside. Ylva's father took her from Loki's arms and laid her on a wide bed.

"What is happening to her?" Loki asked, but the tall men took his time to answer. He took his daughter's hand, felt her forehead and stroke over her hair.

Loki was becoming inpatient. He had been kind enough to bring her home, and her father was completely ignoring him.

"Can you do something?" Loki asked with his most demanding tone.

"Yes" the man simply answered and walked to the fireplace. "How long is she like that, Lauffeysson?"

Since this morning. I am indeed Lauffey's son, but you may call me King Loki. " Loki corrected him, tired of hearing that title. "What is your name?"

"Ralf Akesson" Ylva's father grunted, starting to cook something in the copper colored kettle.

Akesson was strange, Loki decided, but at least he knew how to help Ylva.

"here is strong magic running through her veins as we speak. Why is it making her sick?" Loki asked, looking to the girl on the bed. Her eyelids fluttered and her body seemed to be shaking.

"I am giving her wolfsbane. It will strengthen her" Akesson muttered and filled the brew into a cup.

"Is she turning into a wolf?" the trickster god asked, hoping he was wrong. He didn't want his new favorite servant to end as a shapeshifting, blood-thirsty beast.

Ralf Akesson had the annoying habit not to give clear answers, and Loki was becoming more and more agitated.

"No, she will not change into a beast, but the wolf is becoming stronger."

"Speak clearly, old man" Loki hissed and Ralf Akesson turned around, his hazel eyes hatefully fixing Loki. He could be truly intimidating, but Loki was not that easily impressed.

Akesson started to drop the wolfsbane into Ylva's mouth. The way Ralf Akesson treated his daughter was surprisingly gentle for a big man like him.

Loki sat down next to her, his brows worriedly furrowed. She was a mere servant, a simple amusement, but he didn't like to see her suffer.

In fact, the wild looking girl had grown on him, and Loki had felt less lonely since someone shared his secret.  
"Loki" she muttered, her eyes fluttering open. Then she noticed Ralf Akesson.  
"Father. What happened to me?" she sounded incredibly young and vulnerable.

"You will be alright, I promise. You must forgive me" Ylva's father whispered and bend down to her „I never told you the truth."

"I already know we are descendants of the werewolves. I know that I may turn into a monster. Loki told me all about it" Ylva said slowly, watching her father's reaction.

"The trickster knows many things, Ylva, but I should have been the one to tell you."

"Yes, father" Ylva sighed, trying to sit up. She was slowly feeling better. Loki stayed silently behind Ralf.

"Some of the children of the moon never learn about their heritage. The wolf is too weak in them.

You on the other hand… I hoped you would never be affected. When you started having those dreams, I had to send you away from the woods, away from magic. Little did I know I was sending you near another powerful source of magic" Ralf explained and turned around to face Loki.

Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise. " _My_ magic?"

"Probably. It does not matter anymore."  
"Why am I so sick then? " Ylva asked hesitantly, ignoring the fact that Loki was partly responsible for this mess.

"When you're magic awakens, the human body is too weak to take it. It needs to adapt. It takes nine days and nine nights, and then you will be stronger than ever. Our bloodline one of the last, but also one of the most powerful. We descend directly from Ullr himself"

Although Ylva had never heard the name before, it sounded strangely familiar.

„You may know him as pack leader" Ralf added.

"This is madness" Loki muttered in the background.

His voice reminded Ylva of her dream, of the frost giant crying in the distance.  
If she was right, the ice and snow had represented his magic, and Loki was the child without a pack.

In her dream, the human girl was not able to save him, but she was different now. A child of the moon, a child of Ullr the pack leader.

* * *

Thank you for your reviews! :) It's a short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it!  
xoxo & Liebe Grüße


	10. The Woods

Ylva was still feverish when the sun rose again. She sleept a lot and eat almost nothing.  
When she was conscious, she saw Ralf's concerned look above her. Even Loki was there some of the time, although she ignored how much time had passed. Nine days and nine nights.

Loki stayed at the palace during his days, ruling as Odin over Asgard, but every night he transported himself to the little hut near Vernwood. Ralf Akesson didn't object, so Loki sat down next to the sleeping young woman.

The king didn't even know why exactly he was waisting his precious time on her.

Perhaps the stories about Ullr and the Werewolves had triggered his thirst for knowledge. Ylva and Ralf Akesson could not be the only Descendants alive, Loki figured. A lot of them had no idea who and what they were, but apparently Ullr had power over them.

Loki had met the god Ullr when he was a child. He had not many memories of him, only that the young god had already grey hair. Loki also ignored the reason for the god's visit, but apparently he did not get along with Odin. The god had left the palace very quickly, and Odin had been angry for days.

Ullr was still out in the woods, Loki thought, and perhaps there was a way to join forces with the gods. The god of winter and the powerful frost giant could work perfectly together.

It was the last day of Ylva's transition, Loki remembered when he walked down the stairs to his throne. He was done with the business of the day, and the Allfather would rest in his quarters. Or a projection would, while Loki visited his little wolf.

Suddenly, a young girl stood in front of the throne, small and very nervous as she kneeled before him. Loki could never get enough of people kneeling for him, and he decided to smile encouragingly.

"Allfather, forgive me. I do not wish to bother you…" the girl started with her high voice. She had flaming red hair, a lot of freckles and a tooth gap between her front teeth, but she was somehow appealing and sweet.

"You may continue" Loki said, curious of what the girl had to say.

"My friend, Ylva Akesson, dark hair, tanned, big eyes…"

"My personal sevant, yes" Loki interrupted her.

"She has been missing for nine days now. She was ill and then disappeared. I am very worried for her, Allfather, your grace. Has she told you where she has gone? Because if not, I would like to search for her, with your permission of course." Loki was delighted by the girl's nervousness.

"What's your name, little one?" he asked, softening his voice.

"Kari, your grace" she muttered.

"Kari, follow me. I have something to show you" Loki had made a decision. He remembered Ylva talking about her Kari, and if she was truly Ylva's best friend, she would be trustworthy. It was not a high risk to take, since a girl like Kari could be easily silenced.

Kari's eyes widened in curiosity, and she followed the alleged Allfather down the hall. A few guards followed, and Loki dismissed them as soon as they were in front of his chambers.

"Allfather?" the girl asked with a hint of worry in her voice. Loki could not blame her. Odin was an impressive appearance after all, and he rarely even talked to servants. Now, he was inviting a young girl in his private quarters.

"Do not worry, Kari" he said with an encouraging smile. The Allfather rarely smiled, and Loki scolded himself when he saw that he had just achieved the opposite. She was even more afraid.

Once inside, the girl stared attentively at him, and Loki thought it was best not to talk around things any longer.

With a golden glow, he changed into his true form, wearing his formal armor. He just left out the helmet, not wanting to scare her any further.

He probably needed to calm her, since she would believe him to be a violent monster, who had either come back from the dead or killed the Allfather.

Kari gaped at him, looking like she was just about to pass out.

"You are… Loki" she said slowly, as if she had trouble to process what she was seeing in front of her.

"I am indeed. Rest assured that I will not hurt you if you keep the secret to yourself" Loki started to explain, but Kari just interrupted him.

" _I knew it_! Of course! I knew it the whole time!" she cried out, and she seemed more excited than afraid.  
"You did?" Loki raised his thin eyebrows.

She suddenly stopped and caught her breath. "No. No, I didn't, I swear, I didn't know you weren't the Allfather! I just knew Prince Loki wasn't dead!"

Kari grinned widely, as if Loki had just given her the greatest news. Loki was confused about her reaction.

"Well, I didn't know, I hoped it" she was bubbling, and she clapped her hands together with happiness.

"When they said the Prince was dead, I couldn't believe it. You're the trickster god!"

Loki slowly adjusted to Kari's surprising reaction. He was actually relived she wasn't yelling at him, or running away in horror. She was freaking out, but in a completely opposite way of how he believed she would.

"Now you do know, Kari" he said with a genuine smile.

She was still grinning, although he saw she was trying hard to regain her composure.  
"I will keep your secret" she said solemnly.

"But what about Ylva?" the red-head added.

"I let Ylva into my secret. She is at home with her father. May I take you to her?" Loki offered, admitting this girl was growing on him.

"Yes, Allfath- I mean Prince Loki. King Loki. Apologies" Kari bubblued, her cheeks growing deeply red.

"You may call me Loki" Loki said with amusement. Then he looked down for a moment, thinking about his next question, one Ylva had already answered him.

"Why are you not afraid of me, Kari? I am Loki, after all. You know what I did, or what people believe I did" he said, curious of her answer.

She took a second to think, and her answer seemed elaborate.

"I love gossip, but I don't take rumors for truth. You may or may not have done all those things… how can I judge someone I know nothing about?" Ylva's best friend smiled again, "I heard once the Allfather doesn't just have a nine-legged horse, but also an unicorn"

Loki raised his eyebrows again and his lips curved into a smile.  
"What else have you heard?"

She chuckled and wriggled her eyebrows. "That Lady Sif's hear was golden blond once, but that you cut if all off and the dwarfs cast a spell that would make it grow back, but darker. How crazy is that?"

Crazy indeed, Loki thought smugly. Sif didn't talk to him for months after that incident.

"You are smart not to believe everything you hear. Now believe this: I will take Ylva back to court today" he changed into the appearance of a stable boy.

Ylva would be impressed by how fast he had charmed her friend, even after revealing himself to her.

Vernwood was as dark and impressive as the last time Loki had been there. Ralf Akesson was chopping wood in front of cabin, and didn't even look up as the god arrived. Loki cleared his throat and changed into his form.

"Lauffeyson" Ralf said motionless and swiped the sweat from his forehead. "What are you doing here? Ylva is fine now" he said in his deep, raspy voice and Loki intuitively straightened his back.

"She must return to my court" Loki was a king, and a king didn't ask for permission.

"My daughter needs me to teach her. She could be a danger to others or to herself. Go away, trickster. You have done enough"  
That was the longest Loki had ever heard Ylva's father talk. Apparently, he was sure of his decision, but Loki would not back away from his favorite new servant just because her father told him to.

"I can teach her" Loki said, referring to his magic, but Ralf Akesson shook his head, putting the axe back on the block.

"Magic? This is not your kind of magic"

"What can you possibly teach her, old man?" Loki was not eager to argue with a simple lumberjack.

"Descendants who have awoken the wolf need to control it"

The way that Ralf Akesson said the words made Loki suspicious. The monotone voice had changed, almost breaking away.

"Father?"

Ylva appeared in the door, dressed in a simple, forest green dress. She looked radiant and healthy, completely different than the last days. Her hazel eyes seemed to glow, and Loki was happy to see that she had made it through this mysterious transition.

"Loki" she nodded her head at Loki, but she was focused on her father.  
"What do you mean with ‚control the wolf'? What exactly happens to us? Did it happen to you?" she asked in a sharp voice, and Loki was almost impressed by her harsh tone. She looked like she could grow claws and attack her father in a heartbeat.

"Ylva, I will explain that later. Without the trickster. Go back inside" Ralf Akesson gave a hostile glance at the latter. "He doesn't belong here"

"That is not your decision, father. Loki has told me the truth, something you did not" Ylva said cooly, walking closer to the pile of wood in front of the house.

"Not now, Ylva" Ralf growled, but Loki saw something change in his eyes. Something was happening, and Loki was partly curious to see what it would be.

"Why not? I trust him, but how can I trust you? You can't control the wolf, can you?" the young servant was radiating power from each cell of her body, and every muscle of hers looked tensed, like she was about to jump.

Ralf Akesson was right. This was not Loki's kind of magic.

"Tell me, how did controlling the wolf turn out for Bard Birgerson?" Ylva asked demandingly, stepping forward.

Ralf turned towards her, his hazel eyes darkened in regret.  
"It was an accident. I never meant to hurt him" he said with a pleading, soft voice.

"You killed him" Ylva stated, and it wasn't even a question.

"He provoked me. Teased me about your mother, and he didn't stop" the tall man suddenly looked vulnerable, and the girl even more dangerous.

"You are a _murderer_ "

Loki stepped in between Ylva and her father, feeling that Ylva was becoming angrier with every heartbeat.

"I am sorry, Ylva" Ralf whispered and Ylva's eyes flashed yellow. "Don't, Ylva. Come with me, back to the palace" Loki pleaded, his back to her father.  
She ignored Loki and stared at her father.

"You can not teach me control, father. You killed a man because you were in love with his wife. You can not even control yourself" Ylva hissed, and the sound made shivers run over Loki's spine.

"Ylva. Calm yourself. Come with me. Kari is waiting for you at the palace" Loki pleaded, his green eyes searching hers. And suddenly, as if someone had cut the strings of a puppet, Ylva snapped out of her anger.  
Her eyes stopped glowing, and all the tension seemed to leave her body.

"I am sorry" she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Father, I am so sorry"

Ralf pushed Loki aside and hugged his daughter "Go with him. You need to get away from this woods, and away from me. I am sorry I lied to you. I am sorry for killing that man. I wish I could undo it, but I can't. Just promise me you won't make the same mistakes."

"Goodbye, father" Ylva sobbed, and with that, she took Loki's hand and followed him back to his horse.  
"I will come back, I promise" she whispered, and Loki felt sorry for both Akessons. He vowed to himself to bring Ylva back to her father, and to help her deal with her curse.

* * *

 **Thanks for the nice reviews! :)**

 **Kari = Every Loki-fangirl in this situation.**

 **Have a nice day, xoxo & Liebe Grüße **


	11. The Monster

The pack leader had not lied. She was stronger than ever. Ylva needed less sleep, she noticed she was physically stronger and somehow, she felt more alive and awake.

In her dreams, she would hunt with the pack, and during the day, she was again Loki's servant.

He was different around her, it wasn't hard to notice. Loki gave her curious side glances, and he kept asking her how she felt. Other than that, he didn't treat her like she would snap any second.

The way she had talked to her father had scared her deeply. Ylva was bold and outspoken, but rarely aggressive. She started to understand how hard it was to keep the wolf in check.

Every night, Loki was ‚teaching' her. Ylva would rather call it meditate, but Loki insisted on calling it teaching.

She doubted it would make any differnce. There was a current of energy rushing trough her body, and closing her eyes didn't make it go away.

"Stop thinking, Ylva", Kari said with a encouraging smile. They were sitting in one of the highest towers of Asgard, watching down on the people as small as insects. Kari had talked the kitchen boy into giving her a bowl of strawberries, and Kari was talking in between bites.

Ylva had been surprised when Kari told her she knew about Loki, but she was also relived. At least she had someone to talk about all the crazy things that had happened.

Kari looked childish, but she was rather reflective and wise, and Ylva appreciated her for her advice.

For the first time in a moment, Ylva felt like her old self.

"Do you like Loki? I mean, I could totally imagine him having crush on you", Kari said with her trademark grin.

"I trust him" Ylva said, giggling as her friend started to tickle her. Laughing felt incredibly good.

"Come on, tell me everything!" Kari said, her laughter sounding through the round tower.

"There's nothing to tell, Kari! I saw past his illusion because of my wolf thing, and he kept me close so I wouldn't tell anyone"  
"But brought you home when you were sick! Remember who we're talking about - he wouldn't move a finger if he didn't care about you!"

Both girls' cheeks were reddened as they caught their breath again.

"Why are we not invited to the party?" the door to the tower opened with a loud crack, and the twins Ana and Astrid appeared in the frame, two blonde look-a-likes.

"I thought you were busy!" Kari exclaimed and stood up to hug each of them.  
"Apparently we are more busy than the Allfather's personal servant" Ana said with a wink of her hand.

"Just let it go, Ana. Don't be so jealous" the red-headed Kari did her best to defend Ylva, and Ylva was thankful for her efforts.

"Please, Kari, aren't you jealous? You were always obsessed with the royals… the Allfather, Thor, even Loki. Didn't you want to marry him once? You would love to be Odin's personal servant just to be close to their family" Astrid said, her voice tinted with despise.

Ylva was surprised. The twins were always teasing, but never hostile.

Even Kari was suddenly insecure. "Why are you so mean?" she asked, her eyes sparkling from tears.

Ylva got up, positioning herself between Kari and the twins. The young woman asked defiantly: „What is your problem? You want to be a personal servant that badly? It's not worth it, trust me."

Ana and Astrid simultaneously stepped forward.

"So you don't even appreciate what you have, don't you?  
"It's always about you, and you're not even the prettiest of us"

"Nor the smartest"  
"And you're the daughter of a murderer"

the twins were completing each other's sentences, and Ylva was trying her best to keep her calm.

"Something is wrong with you both" Ylva pressed out each word, feeling her blood boiling. The twins were provoking her, and it was the least thing she needed.

"Calm down, please, stop fighting!" Kari pleaded, "we never fought like that! We are friends!"

"Kari, go away and play with your dolls or whatever you do" Astrid rolled her eyes at her.

None of them noticed how Ylva was changing. Waves of energy were rushing through her body, and her field of vision became smaller. Her breath went faster, and she could feel her muscles tense.

A part of her kept tried to relax, but most of her being marveled at the promise of a fight.

"You go away" Ylva snapped, and suddenly the three girls noticed the atmosphere had changed.  
It was charged with anger and jealousy, and even Kari wasn't immune to it.

"Make us, you freak" Ana hissed.

Ylva stepped forward, but Astrid pushed her away so that Ylva stumbled back.

"Please, can't we just talk it out? I get that you're jealous, but it's not Ylva's fault!" Kari pleaded and approached Astrid, grabbing her arm to hold her back. Astrid rolled her eyes in annoyance and violently pushed Kari on the floor.

That was the moment the wolf took over.

Ylva's eyes flashed yellow, and she tasted metal on her tongue.

With more strength than she'd ever had, she pushed Astrid against the wall and hit her nose with her fist.

Ana looked at her twin in shock and immediately tried to help, but the wolf's senses were sharp, and before Ana could even move, Ylva had thrown her across the room.

"Ylva!" Kari whispered in horror. Blood run down Astrid's nose, and Ana was moaning in pain on the other side.

For a heartbeat, Ylva realized what she was doing. „Call Loki" she breathed, before the wolf took over again. Kari nodded and ran away, slamming the wooden door behind her.

Astrid growled and attacked Ylva, and both girls crashed into the high bookshelves. Books rained down on them as the shelves crushed like dominos. Ylva quickly tackled Astrid on the floor and straddled her, giving her another hit with her fist.

"Do not touch Kari ever again" Ylva growled, a more animalistic than human sound.  
„Do not ever call me a freak again"

Astrid cried out as she took another hit.  
The wolf inside Ylva cherished every second of it, the feeling of skin bruising under her touch, the use of her strength, and it was intoxicating. Ylva's field of vision was a blur of red, and the sound of her prey whimpering sounded delicious, Ylva growled and raised her fist again

" _Ylva, stop_!"

Loki stood in the door, with the appearance of a guardsman, his features worried and shocked. Kari was right behind him.

Ylva's heartbeat began to slow down. Her vision cleared, and suddenly, she realized in what scenery she was just being found.

Ana was unconscious on the opposite side of the room, and Astrid was beaten and bloody.

And it was all Ylva's doing.

"I am so sorry" she whispered and felt all the anger replaced with regret. She had turned into a monster. She had beaten two of her friends only because they had verbally provoked her.

"No, no, no!" Ylva sobbed and stumbled away from Astrid, falling onto the floor.

Loki acted quickly. He cast a spell that would temporarily make the twins lose their memory, giving him enough time to figure out his plan of action.

"Kari, bring Astrid into the infirmary, she can walk. Tell them there was been an accident. The girls have been fooling around in the tower and the book shelves crushed down on them" Loki demanded, his voice calm.

He kneeled down next to Ana and lightly touched her forehead. The trickster muttered a spell, and the eyes of the girl fluttered open.

"What happened?" Ana asked, sighing as she sat up.

Ylva was still on the floor, pressing her knees to her chest with her arms, sobbing uncontrollably .

"There has been an accident. You played around and hit the book shelves. You passed out and you don't remember anything else" Loki conjured Ana and send her to Kari. She was pale and under shock, but thankfully she was listening to Loki's commands.

"Kari, call the other guards, they will help"

As soon as Kari and the very confused twins left the room, Loki was left alone with the crying mess that was Ylva.

"Come on, little wolf" Loki approached her like a wounded animal. Her hazel eyes looked up to him, tears streaming down her face.

"Look what I've done" she sobbed.

"They will be alright, I promise. You fought it, Ylva. You snapped out of it when I came. I should have been here earlier. I will not leave you out of my sight again" Loki knelt down next to her, still looking like a guardsman.

Again, Ylva reminded him so much of himself when he discovered he was a frost giant. Countless times he had wondered how much control he had over his own actions when the blood of those monsters ran through his veins.

Ylva was young, and she had just recently learned about her heritage. It was only natural she wasn't able to fully held back the rage.

Loki himself wasn't able to do that either.

"I am sorry Ylva" he whispered genuinely. He didn't touch her, he only sat beside her as she continued crying.

"It won't happen again, little wolf. Don't blame yourself" Loki told her all the things he wished someone had told him when he discovered he was a frost giant.

Instead, he had been alone. The Allfather had drifted into Odin's sleep, and Thor had been banished.

After a while, Ylva was able to talk again. She looked at Loki, her hazel eyes sad and regretful.

"You need to lock me up, Loki"

* * *

 _Now that Ylva has snapped, will she be able to control her dark side? :D_

 _Caffiend04: I couldn't serve you with a horrible death of the twins, but I hope you'll enjoy that chapter anyways :D Thanks for your comments!_

 _Dragoncat: And there's much more to come ;)_

 _MU5ICFREAK: Danke, freut mich dass es dir gefällt! Ich geb mein bestes, aber manchmal wünsch ich mir ich könnte alles auf deutsch schreiben, das wäre so viel einfacher :D_

 _Like always, thanks of course to everyone who has reviewed! Love you guys!_

 _xoxo & Liebe Grüße_


	12. The Guilt

Despite Loki's expectations, Ylva didn't cry for long. The woman stood up, brushed a few times over her dress and took a deep breath.

"If you don't lock me up, I will do it myself" she said with a calm voice. She seemed as composed as always, and Loki needed a moment to process her sudden change.

"I command you not to" he said, but his mind was elsewhere.

"Ylva, how are you feeling?" he asked, and Ylva shrugged, her hazel eyes empty and absent.

"I'm not hurt" she said, but Loki grabbed her shoulders and turned her so that she had to face him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked again, his green eyes staring into hers, trying to read her mind.

"I feel awful. I feel like someone who has just beaten two innocent girls. What do you want me to do, Loki? Cry, sit here like a baby? It won't change anything. You need to protect the others from me, at least until I figured out how to oppress that thing inside me" Ylva said between clenched teeth.

She watched the small line appear between Loki's eyes on his forehead.

Ylva was thankful for everything he was doing for her. But just like her father, he couldn't be inside her head when the wolf took over. She had to do this alone.

"Stay in my quarters, Ylva. At least you will be comfortable. Let me take care of everything else" Loki offered, passing a hair through his black hair. He really seemed affected, not as cool and distanced as usual.

A few minutes later, Loki and Ylva were in his chambers. Loki had cloaked them with a spell, and hopefully Kari had brought the twins to the infirmary without raising too many questions.

"The twins will start to remember, the spell only lasts a few days" Loki explained, watching Ylva take off her bloodied dress. She didn't blush or turn away, she simply stood in her undergarments before him.

"You will probably not like it, but I should kill the twins" Loki said casually, grinning mischievously. The girls seemed to be annoying anyways.

"No" Ylva exclaimed, "No, Loki"

"I will find a solution" she promised, although she had no idea what to do.

"And Kari?" Loki sank down on his chair, sighing. He would not enjoy killing Kari as much as the horrible twins, but if it could keep Ylva safe…

"Loki, I made a mistake. But you can't fix it by just making a bigger one" Ylva combed her dark brown hair.

"I will talk to Kari. She will understand it" Ylva said, not sure if she was believing her own words.

She exhaled and suddenly stopped in her movements. Loki noticed her lower lip was slightly shaking as raised her eyes, looking him straight into his own.

"Thank you, Loki. For all you have done. I am in your debt" she said solemnly.

Loki watched the young woman in front of him. Bloodied, in her undergarments, wild hair, high cheekbones and hazel eyes. Yet the honesty in her words touched him more than anything prettier girls and noble women had ever said to him.

For a moment, his silver tongue was unable to reply.

Ylva stepped on her toes and reached up to plan a kiss on his cheek, an action so full of innocent affection Loki had to fight back tears.

"You should rest now" Loki muttered and changed into a comfortable green tunic and linen pants with a snap of his fingers.

Ylva raised her eyerbrows in question.

"You are sleeping here tonight, Ylva. You can not stay alone" Loki commanded softly,

"Why? I will stay locked, I promise" Ylva was unsure of the meaning of his words. Loki's green eyes suddenly had a look of sadness in them, and he looked younger, vulnerable.

He stroke over his black hair and sighed. Ylva waited for him to find the right words.

"I tried to destroy Jutonheim with the hope it would make my father see that I am the better King, and that he would be proud. I was dedicated to my mission, Ylva.

Thor defied me, and all my plans shattered into peaces. I was torn between the anger for the injustice that I have suffered from my whole life and the regret I felt, the painful knowledge that everything I had done led to my own downfall.

Odin tried to save me when I hang over the Abyss, and when I told him I did it all for Asgard, for him, for all of us - "

Loki's voice broke off, and Ylva hugged him. He stiffened in her arms, unsure how to react, but Ylva ignored it. She had no right answer for his heart-breaking story than to show him how much she suffered with him.

"He said _no_. With that, he said it all. I was a monster, the abomination, the one that disappointed him again, I was the lesser son, and in that moment, I let go. I let go, Ylva, believing I was falling into my death"

Loki ended in a raspy voice, and answered the hug by pressing his arms around the smaller woman. He blinked back the tears in his eyes.

"I know how it feels to be so angry you think you can't bare it anymore"  
Loki whispered, and let her go so that he could cup her face and stare into her warm eyes.

"Do not give up on yourself, little wolf, not like I did"

Ylva nodded. "I promise I won't. And you have to make the promise to me too. I need you, Loki, I need you to help me through this"

Ylva's eyes swelled with tears, and she looked down so that he wouldn't see it.

"I am sorry for what was done to you. I do not want to defend Odin, but I think he loved you. Just like my own father, he thought lying to you would be for your best. Maybe… the Allfather didn't know how to tell you how much he loved you. To warriors like Thor and Odin, feelings are hard to express. They consider it a weakness"

Loki pressed his lips together in a thin line. "You may be right, but I can never forgive him"

"One day perhaps" Ylva said with an encouraging smile. There was no point in pressuring him anyways, and Loki raised his eyebrows at her.

"Did you forgive your father?" he asked, his words soft and carefully placed.

Ylva thought for a moment. Her father had send her away to the palace without telling her about the wolf blood, but in his mind, he was protecting her from turning. She could forgive him that.

Bard Birgersson on the other side was another story. Her father was a murderer. But could she judge after what she had done this day?  
If Ylva was built like her father, strong and muscular, she would have killed Ana and Astrid.

Only Kari and Loki had prevented more from happening, and the guilt was already weighing heavy on Ylva.

"I do" she said, and Loki nodded slowly.

"You have a good heart, Ylva" he said and kissed her softly on her forehead.

"You should take that bath, though" he chuckled, and Ylva nodded thankfully.

* * *

 _I'm sorry this chapter has taken me so long! I had planned something different and then changed it completely after I saw Thor 2 again :D It's basically just Loki talking about his feelings :D_

 _I'll post the next chapter tomorrow to make up for the long wait!  
Have a nice day :)_

 _xoxo & Liebe Grüße_


	13. The God of Winter

The soap washed off the blood, and the warmth of the water relaxed her muscles. The young woman drifted deeper in to the bathtub, closing her eyes.

Loki's bathroom was completely golden, and she could see the glow even behind closed eyes.

"Ylva"

Ylva shrieked and sat up, splashing the water around her.

A man stood across the room, dressed in black hunting attire.

He seemed to be in his late thirties, yet his hair was dark grey with streaks of white just like his short, stubbly beard. Bold eyebrows framed his irritating yellow eyes, and Ylva realized how handsome he was when he smiled.

"Apologies, I know this is a bit inconvenient" he said, his voice a smooth baritone. "Dress yourself and come outside" he demanded politely, not looking at her form hidden by the foam, but directly into her eyes.

"Pack Leader?" Ylva asked. Her heart was racing. His eyes were all to familiar, and his whole appearance radiated authority.

"You can call me Ullr, Yvla" Ullr blinked and walked outside the bathroom. Ylva dressed as quickly as she could and practically ran outside to find him on the balcony.

Ullr was staring at the moon, his eyes glooming yellow.

Ylva couldn't help but to stare at the Pack Leader in his human form.

If anyone would ask Ylva to describe him, she would only have complete opposites in her mind: He seemed young, yet incredibly old, well-mannered, yet untamed,friendly, yet somehow vicious and brutal.

"The trickster has done well for himself. I know him since he was a child" Ullr stated, then turned to Ylva.

"Don't fear me, Ylva. We are family" he spread his arms as her in a welcoming gesture.

Ylva nodded, her wet hair still clinging to her skin. "Pack Leader, I am honored by your presence" she said, remembering Ullr was a god. The god of winter, Ylva remembered as she shivered. The air was ice cold.

"No need to be so formal. I want to help you, Ylva" Ullr offered, his eyes glimmering with amusement.

"And I sure need it. I have done something terrible today, and I don't know how to fix it" Ylva confessed, feeling more at ease. Her wolf senses told her this was her leader, and that she could trust him unconditionally.

Ullr stepped forward and stroke over Ylva's cheek: "I already fixed it. The twins only remember your version of the story, and they will send North to serve a noble man who is in my debt. They will have a happy life there, far away from court"

"Thank you. But Ullr.. why didn't you come earlier? Why didn't you help my father when he killed this man? He and I, we both needed you!" Ylva said loudly, lowering her eyes. He was above her, and she could not disrespect the god Ullr himself.

Ullr chuckled softly. The white in his hair looked like snow had fallen on his head and not melted.

"You have a wolf's temper" Ullr smiled, showing his slightly longer canine teeth.

"A long time ago, my father was our pack leader. His children could turn into wolves at night, and they were powerful and wild.

Odin thought they were a danger to Asgard, and he did nothing as humans started to hunt the wolves down. My father alone could not protect all the werewolves, and he begged Odin for help.

The Allfather called the wolves monsters unworthy of living, and within a few years, all the werewolves were killed. It broke my father's heart. He didn't survive it" Ullr told bitterly, and Ylva noticed frost flowers unfolding on the wall of the palace.

Ylva felt tears running down her cheeks. While Ullr was speaking, she could see the images in her head: Wolves, piled up like dead cattle, with red blood tainting their fur.

"How could he do such a thing? They were humans during the day. They had families" Ylva whispered, deeply moved by the god's story.

Ullr nodded, deep hatred in his eyes.

"That sounds just like Odin."

Ylva swirled around, only to see Loki standing on the other side of the balcony. He was dressed in his green and golden armor, and he even wore the helmet with the long corns. Loki looked more majestic than she had ever seen him.

"Loki" Ullr said, bowing down with mockery.

"I said I would not let you out of my sight" Loki said lowly to Ylva, then turned to the god.

"Continue your story, please" Loki's green eyes were slits, and Ylva could see his hand gripping his dagger.

"Killing the wolves wasn't enough for the good people of Asgard. They knew the descendants existed. Odin forced me and Skadi to flee into the wilderness, away from humans, so that our magic could not awaken the descendant's heritage. They stayed just like the rest of mankind, while my sister and I lived alone, apart from the world"

Ylva could feel Ullr's anger. Her instincts took over, and the wolf inside her was ready to do anything Ullr demanded.

Loki looked like he was ashamed of Odin's actions.

"I remember you coming to the Palace, though, Ullr" Loki said calmly, not seeming to mind the harsh cold air.

Ullr's features began to relax, and the mischievous smile returned to his lips.

"Odin scolded me for breaking the rules of my banishment. I had approached Vernwood in a hunt and triggered a descendant's gene, Ylva's father to be precise.

Odin offered to pardon me and Skadi. His youngest son, prince Loki, had a mysterious power of freezing objects he hold in his hands when he was angry, or making the air colder. Odin hoped the god of winter may be able to help. But I couldn't. You and I, we are completely different species"

Ylva took Loki's hand as she saw the hurt in his eyes. His own father had tried to cure him from his abnormality, and Loki tried his best to pretend it didn't bother him.

"Odin was very disappointed in me, and instead of letting Skadi and me come back to Asgard, he cast a spell that would truly keep us away forever, a line we could never cross"  
Again, anger took over in Ullr's eyes as he started to play with the hunting knife at his belt.

"He also insured that you could never tell anyone about me" Loki completed, realization dropping on him. Ullr pointed at Loki with his knife.

"Exactly."

"Do you blame me?" Loki asked defiantly, and Ullr started to throw the blade in the air only to catch it.  
Ylva felt the tension between them, but she stayed quiet. She would only intervene if one of them would threaten the other.

"We are even, trickster" Ullr grinned his wolfish grin, and Loki started to smile as well: "I killed Odin and broke the spell"

"Thanks to you, trickster, I can be here in this beautiful palace with the lovely Ylva, who is now the newest member of my pack"

"How can you have a pack, if the Akessons are the last of their bloodline?" Loki asked, and now Ylva was curious as well. According to her father, they were the last descendants alive

"I may let everyone believe all my father's children are dead. But trust me, trickster, the Akessons aren't the last. Now that I can move around freely, more of the descendants will join my pack"

Ullr started to walk around on the balcony, his steps smooth like the ones of a predator.

"I have a deal for you, trickster. You let me and my sister back into the realm. In exchange, you have our full support. A king like you needs allies."

"I won't banish your kind. I am not the Allfather. I do not fear anyone who is different" Loki said, his green eyes honest and passionate.

Ullr looked at Ylva, and then back to Loki. She was still clinging at his arm.

"Ylva may stay at your side then, trickster, as my eyes and ears"

"What if I hurt people again?" Ylva asked warily, and Ullr approached her, cupping her face with his warm, rough hands.

"You will learn not to, Ylva. I will help you" the god with the grey hair turned to Loki, and put his hunting knife under his throat.

"Ylva does not belong to you, frost giant. You may love her, but you'll never own her. She is a wolf of my pack, and she does not need to obey anyone but me" Ullr growled, his yellow eyes flashing.

Then, the god's siluette began to glow.

Before Loki could fight him, the god of winter began to fade.

"We know about Thanos. We know about the deal you made with him, and the promise you broke. Give him the Tesseract, or Thanos will turn Asgard into ashes"

Ullr's voice faded as well, and Ylva was left with Loki on the balcony, while snow flakes began to fall from the sky.

* * *

 _Nope, I have not forgotten about Thanos :D I had so much fun writing Ullr aka Pack Leader. In case you're wondering, I kinda imagined him to look like Chris Pine (except for the yellow eyes and grey hair of course)  
_

 _Thank you for your reviews!_


	14. The Threat

"Who is Thanos?" Ylva asked, pressing her fists in her sides. She looked daringly at Loki, who had grown white pale within seconds.

"A Titan" he said, his green formal attire changing back into his normal clothes.

"And what's your deal with that.. Titan?" Ylva demanded, fear growing inside her. The way Loki looked down, how his hands clenched together - he looked terrified.

"He gave me the Chitauri army that attacked Earth, and in exchange I was supposed to give over the Tesseract" Loki explained between gritted teeth, still not looking up to her. A part of him wondered why he was so open and honest to Ylva about his mistakes, but he knew he could trust her.

"Loki, I have no idea what you're talking about. Let's go inside. Tell me, and we can find a solution together" Ylva said softly and offered him her hand.

Loki took it, enveloping it in his own. He cursed Ullr for mentioning Thanos.

Of course Loki had not forgotten about the Warlord. Loki had not held up his end of the bargain, and the Other had promised him immense pain as a punishment. But after months in a cage, Loki had figured he was simply not worth Thanos' time.

"What are Chitauris? And what is the Tesseract?" Ylva asked, but Loki shook his head.

Ylva could almost feel the wall he was building around him, locking her out. Apparently, this was an even bigger problem than she had expected.

"It doesn't matter, Ylva. He was forgotten about me"

"Why don't you just give him this Tesseract?" Ylva asked, and Loki scoffed with disbelief.

"It's one of the most powerful objects in the universe. I should never have made that deal in the first place. But if Ullr is right, and Thanos sends someone to Asgard to retrieve it, then I will take precautions" Loki was more talking to himself than to Ylva. He started walking around the room, his arms crossed over his chest. Ylva watched him, unsure what to do.

„What's your plan?" Ylva asked, trying to sound composed.

Loki gave her a look, his green eyes darkened with fear.

If someone struck that kind of fear in Loki, then all of Asgard had to fear for its life, Ylva thought with a shiver.

"You are powerful and smart, and now you have powerful allies. Find a way" Ylva said, pulling up her still wet hair and sliding away the blanket of Loki's bed.

"Tomorrow" she finished her sentence and gave Loki a encouraging look. The day had been long and there was nothing to be done.

Loki watched her silently as she climbed into the bed.

"Ylva… Thanos could destroy Asgard without lifting a finger" he sounded hopeless.

"He hasn't done it yet, and he won't do it tonight. We both need to rest" Ylva insisted, patting on the space next to her.

His green eyes pierced through hers, and Ylva gave her best not to look away.

"Let us fix our mistakes tomorrow" Ylva pleaded softly, and Loki joined her under the blanket.

She snuggled her head against his shoulder, and Loki watched his little wolf completely at ease next to him.

He couldn't sleep, and all he could do was listen to the sound of Ylva's calm breaths.

Thanos was still a threat. And Loki was responsible for the whole realm, and for Ylva.

For once, he was not the villain. He was the only one could save them all.

"Kari" Ylva greeted her friend, who was sitting in the rose gardens with a book in her hands.

Much to Ylva's relief, the young woman didn't shriek or run away in horror. Instead, Kari looked up with worry in her eyes.

"Ylva, are you alright?" she asked. She sounded tired.

"I am. How are you?" Ylva replied awkwardly. It was hard to find the right words to express how deeply sorry and ashamed Ylva was for her actions.

Kari stood up and brushed her hair away from her face. She looked young and vulnerable, and Ylva felt even more miserable.

"Ylva, don't tell me you have been beating yourself up for this. It is not your fault. We can fix this, I promise" she said, her voice steady. Kari walked towards Ylva, but the taller woman backed away.

"You think someone can fix _me_?" Ylva replied bitterly, without thinking. She immediately regretted her words.

"No, that's not how I meant it!" Kari pleaded, with tears in her eyes. Kari threw herself into Ylva's arms, and Ylva had no other choice but to pull her arms around her best friend.

She could not believe Kari was forgiving her so easily.

"I don't want to hurt you" Ylva sighed, then took a step back and watched the red-headed girl.

"You won't. You are strong and tough, and you have Loki at your side. And me of course"

Within seconds, Kari returned to her bubbly self.

"Shh!" Ylva whispered and looked around hastily, but Kari smiled: "There's no one here. That's why I love this place. Please, Ylva, tell me everything that happened"

Ylva sighed and sat down next to Kari, pulling her legs up to her chest. It was already the second time Ylva had to share all the crazy things that kept happening to her with Kari, but Kari listened until the end.

"Will Ullr be welcomed to court again? Do you think Loki will reveal himself to the people of Asgard?" Kari asked with curiosity.

Ylva shook her head and smiled: "There is a ball tomorrow night to welcome Skadi and Ullr back to Asgard. You are invited too. But I doubt Loki is ready to reveal himself. Furthermore, Thor is still out there. He will never accept Loki on the throne without a fight" Ylva explained.

"A ball?" Kari asked.

Ylva realized she had lost her friend with that little word. Kari beamed with excitement.

"Yes, Kari, a ball. Loki said we can pick any dress we wanted" Ylva said. He had not actually said that, but Ylva was sure he would not object.

"I will see you tomorrow" Ylva hugged her friend for one last time.

Ylva left Kari with a light heart. If Kari could accept that monstrous side of her, then maybe others, including Ylva herself, could too.

"Are you nervous?" Loki asked teasingly. Ylva looked at herself in the mirror, twisting around to see every angle of her dress.

"No. Why would I be?" Ylva exhaled.

Loki watched the young woman's reflection in the mirror. Her dress was creamy golden, with sparkling embroideries, leaving her shoulders bare. Her tanned skin stood out next to the fabric, and her eyes had the color of honey. Another servant had put up her hair in a complicated high do. Yet she didn't look comfortable at all. She could easily outspend all the other noble women in Loki's opinion, but Ylva looked like she dreaded every second in this dress.

"How am I supposed to breathe? How can someone dance in this? What if someone wants to dance with me? Or if no one asks me?" she asked with a shaking voice, tugging at the dress. Loki almost laughed when he saw the slight panic in her eyes.

Loki stepped behind her and planted a kiss on her bare neck. "You look absolutely beautiful. You do not need to worry" he said and then grinned, "It's not your fault you lived in the woods for your entire life"

"No it's not" Ylva snapped back, "I am the daughter of a woodchuck. How am I supposed to learn the things noble ladies need to know?"

"You are a wolf. How can you be afraid of them?" Loki asked.

The balls that took place now in Asgard were different than the loud feasts Thor preferred. They were splendid and elegant, and Loki wished that one day he could attend them as himself, and not disguised as Odin.

"I am not afraid" Ylva replied sternly, leaving her hands from the dress. Her hazel eyes found Loki's in the reflection of the mirror.

Then she smiled, suddenly relieving the tension she had unconsciously build up. Loki's usual smug grin was enough to make her relax. If Loki was looking forward to it, then it couldn't be that terrible.

"Okay, maybe I am a little bit scared" Ylva said and laughed.

Loki turned her around and watched her from head to toe, then kissed her fiercely on the mouth. "You, my little wolf, will put all the other noble women to shame"

Ylva smiled between their kisses, and Loki's green eyes sparkled with amusement. It was a little moment of peace, something Ylva had not experienced for a long time.

Loki tugged at her hair, and with his long fingers, he took out the pins holding her complicated hairdo together. Her brown hair fell down in messy waves. The look in Loki's eyes was sending chills over her body, and Ylva felt a weight leaving her shoulders.

"There you go, little wolf. You look more like yourself now" he whispered and took her hand.

"Are you ready?" he asked, and Ylva nodded.


	15. The Dance

The ballroom looked splendid. After the attack of the dark eleves, it had been rebuild and was more impressive than ever. Golden walls reflected the flickering lights of thousand of candles, and the nobles of Asgard were dressed in their most precious attires.

Ylva needed a couple of seconds to regain her composure: "It's…" "Beautiful" Kari breathed, completing Ylva's sentence.  
Ylva didn't enter the room with Odin aka Loki, but with her red-headed friend. Kari had chosen one the perfect, vibrant blue dress for her pale complexion and hair color, and Ylva had no doubt the young noble man would die for a dance with her.

No one knew they were just servants, and for one night, their station didn't make a difference.

Odin entered the ballroom, and everyone bowed down. He welcomed the nobles and citizens of Asgard in a graceful way, then sat down on his throne. His gaze searched the crowd, and Ylva could swear he was smiling as he spotted the two young girls at the entrance.  
"It's so weird he's not actually the All.." "Shh!" Ylva interrupted Kari.

It was still unusual to see Loki disguised in public, but she knew he wasn't ready to reveal himself.

For a while, Ylva and Kari were happy to just watch all the people dancing in front of them.

"Why are the most beautiful women in here standing on the side?" a voice asked, and Ylva shrieked. The voice did not belong in sparkling ballrooms, it sounded rough and deep like the woods in winter.

"Lord Ullr" Ylva greeted him and curtsied deeply. His yellow eyes glimmered in amusement as Kari blushed at his sight. He was dressed completely in black, which brought out his unusual features even more.

"I hope you are enjoying the dance so far" Ylva tried to end the awquard silence and hoped Kari would stop staring at him.

"I am. It has been some time since I last danced" he said with a wolfish grin.

"I think our friend will make the announcement soon. The nobles have some trouble getting used to us" Ullr bowed his head and put his hand over his mouth as if he was speaking in secret to the women.

Ylva looked around, and indeed, most nobles were openly staring at Ullr. Some even put their heads together and gossiped.

"Perhaps they are just very impressed by you, Lord Ullr" Kari spoke up, her voice an octave higher than ususal.

Ullr looked at her like a hunter watched his prey, and Kari blushed deeply. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to…" she started to stumble.

"Or maybe they are just looking at you, my dear. What is your name?" Ullr's yellow eyes were hypnotizing.

"Kari.." Ylva said softly, not wanting her friend to get caught up with someone as dangerous as Ullr. But it was already to late. The young woman was charmed, and when Ullr asked her to dance, Kari didn't even hesitate.

Ylva watched both of them moving towards the dancing floor and sighed.

"I think our young friend moved on from me" a noble spoke next to Ylva, watching Kari dance with Ullr.

Ylva skeptically raised her eyebrows and looked up to the man.

He had weirdly familiar features, although Ylva was sure she had never seen him before. She frowned, searching for words, when the man grinned.

"How can I not see you in your real form?" Ylva whispered when realization hit her.

"Different spell" Loki blinked. He didn't look suspicious to anyone else, but his eyes and his grin betrayed his real identity to an thorough observant.

"May you offer me a dance, Lady Ylva?" Loki asked, and Ylva's shoulders started to relax. She would be able to enjoy the ball with him, while an illusion of Odin sat on the throne at the other side of the room.

"Of course, my lord" she nodded gracefully and slid her hand under his arm.

They danced slowly, and Ylva was aware that Loki was guiding her since she was not a gifted dancer.

Ylva realized how far she had gotten since the day she had left the woods for the palace. Somehow, she had ended up dancing in the arms of Loki Lauffeysson. And even more surprisingly, he wasn't her enemy, but her most trusted friend. His green eyes watched her as, his expression more peaceful than she was used from him.

If she was truly honest, he was no longer just her King or her friend. Her heart was beating steadily, she had no butterflies in her stomach.

Instead, there was a powerful, deep bond between them, like the roots of a tree, embracing every inch of her being.

When Ylva kissed him, she knew that he felt the same for her.

"Loki.." she said as they parted, still dancing on the same spot.

Suddenly she froze. Something was wrong. Ylva snapped for air, and suddenly, a vision flashed across her mind. Dark, stormy clouds, crossed by red, pulsing lights, moving towards Asgard.

The cloud burned hot, and Ylva saw the towers of Asgard turn to ashes.

"Ylva? Everything alright?" Loki asked, puzzled by her behavior.

"Yes. Yes. I am. Sorry, this dress, it's too tight" Ylva breathed between clenched teeth. The vision was over, but her sight was still blurry. She had no idea what just happened.

And she had no idea why she was lying to Loki about it.

"I just need some fresh air" she added, looked into his skeptical eyes and then turned around, moving her way through the crowd. Ylva lifted her dress so that she could run as soon as she was out of his sight.

Her hands were sweaty, and she had the familiar taste of blood and metal on her tongue. Was it a wolf thing? Why would she have such visions? Was she going crazy?

Loki was the god of lies, and there was not the slightest chance he believed her.

Ylva ran mindlessly until she reached the gardens. Her feet seemed to know the way on their own.

Once she regained her breath, Ylva realized she knew three things for a fact. She was slowly going crazy. She in love with Loki. And she had just lied to him.


	16. The Goddess

"It's cold outside. You should go back inside, sweet girl," a soft voice sounded behind her. Ylva swirled around. She was tired on people sneaking up on her like Ullr or Loki, just to make an dramatic effect.

"Mind your own business," Ylva snapped, feeling anger rising in her chest. After the disturbing vision, she was not the slightest bit capable to calm down. The wolf was winning without even the slightest fight.

"You're just like my brother described you," the woman said cooly, only slight curiosity in her voice.

Ylva's eyes flashed yellow, and her body was tensed. Whoever this woman was, Ylva would make her regret sneaking up on her.

"Stop it," the woman spoke softly, not impressed by Ylva's change. If Ylva had been in right mind, she would have known who this woman was just by looking at her. But the wolf had taken over.

Ylva growled and jumped towards the strange woman.

"Stop. It."

The words cut through the red waves of anger. Suddenly, Ylva was back, so quick that she felt like someone had cut the threads of a puppet.

Those two words sounded like shattered glass in her ears, and it made Ylva's head hurt so much she stopped in her movements and collapsed on the ground.

Ylva covered her ears with her hands as the sound grew unbearable. Ylva opened her mouth to scream but realized she was mute.  
She forced herself to look up, and finally, she saw the small woman above her.

"Please. I am sorry," Ylva moaned, and as quickly as it had begun, the pain stopped.

"Ullr has a lot to teach you. I told him a wolf like you needs to be disciplined by her alpha," the woman said with disdain.

She had white hair, so white it seemed fluorescent in the dark. It was unusually short, only reaching her chin, and the eyes of the woman seemed black as the night.

The woman smiled, a cold, sarcastic smile. Her canine teeth were slightly longer as normal.

"Are you Ullr's sister? Skadi?" Ylva asked, slowly recovering from the attack.

"Lady Skadi for you," Skadi nodded and reached out her hand to help Ylva up.

Ylva took her hand, despite her fear. Skadi was not her pack leader, but her position was just as high. Ylva had to obey.

"I am sorry," Ylva muttered, brushing over her dress.

Skadi's lips twisted into a cruel smile, making her resemble more and more to her twin Ullr.

„Tell me about your vision," Skadi commanded, and Ylva obeyed. In a few words, she described her vision of the darkness approaching Asgard.

„Is it Thanos?" she asked, fearing the answer.

The goddess of hunt shrugged her shoulders: "Ullr warned you, Ylva. We knew he was coming"

"Is there something we can do?" Ylva asked pleadingly. Skadi and Ullr radiated both separately untamed power, and together with Loki, Ylva doubted no second they could fight this Thanos.

"Thor has gone to Midgard. Odin is dead. I know what you are thinking, Ylva, but we are not enough to take the Titan down. The darkness he is sending towards Asgard will destroy everything."

"Is there really nothing we can do, Lady Skadi?" the young woman was not ready to give up. She had too much to lose. „I will not see Asgard literally fall to ashes"

Skadi looked at her, her dark eyes piercing through Ylva just like Pack Leader's used to.

"There is one thing. But it's very old magic. Magic of the time of my father, when the werewolves were ruling the woods and the mountains, and when mankind feared us as much as they feared cold and hunger"

Ylva nodded, she had expected that kind of answer.

"It demands a price, young wolf. You belong to Ullr's pack and even I can not ask something like that from you. My brother would never allow it. He would punish me if he knew I was even talking about it"

Skadi's voice still reminded Ylva of cold glass.

Loki was restless. Ever since Ylva had suddenly run away, he was constantly imagining what he could have done to set her off.

He could still hear the music from the ball, but he had no desire to go back to it.

Loki looked at himself in the mirror as he changed back into his true form. He was angry and most of all, disappointed. Again, he had been foolish enough to trust someone, and that one had turned away from him.

He clenched his hands into a fist and hit the mirror. The half-Jotun was strong enough to break it without getting hurt.

"Loki?" the door opened, and Ylva appeared, entering with hesitation.

Loki froze in his movements. He wasn't sure if he wanted to yell at her or if he was ashamed of his irrational reaction.

She looked pale, but alright.

"I want to apologize for running away… it wasn't just the dress…" she muttered, and Loki was almost relived. At least she wouldn't continue to lie to him.

"What is wrong, Ylva? Have I done something?" Loki asked, biting his tongue. He was done blaming himself for the failures of others.

She swallowed and looked up to him, and Loki was surprised as he saw resolution in her eyes.

"No. It was just getting too much. The ball, Ullr, his sister, knowing that you could never show your true self to the public. I… I want to tell you something. But I don't know how. I don't know if it will make things even worse" Ylva said sheepishly, entering the room.

"Ylva, don't you trust me?" Loki snapped more aggressively than intended.

"I trust you with all my heart, Loki," Ylva said loudly, her expression not changing the slightest bit in front of Loki's tone.

Loki stared at the woman in front of him, and he wondered how she had managed to change him in such a short amount of time. She was supposed to be his toy, his reward for taking the throne. Her wolf-gene only made her more valuable to him, and that was all he needed her to be.

He, a monster known throughout the realms, had started to care for this wild peasant girl.

Loki was willing to forgive her anything.

"Tell me," he said, his voice hoarsely.

She stepped up to him, standing on her tip toes to plant a kiss on his lips.

Her hazel eyes were just as mesmerizing as on the first day he had seen her, a mere servant seeing his true form.

"I love you," Ylva said matter-of-factly, as if there was no reason to ever doubt that.

Loki answered without hesitation: "I love you too, Ylva."

She smiled mischievously: "I know."

Ylva was more confident than ever before. She knew what she wanted in that moment, and she knew exactly what her future was going to look like. There was no going back anyways.

She turned around and pulled her hair aside. "May you help me with my dress?" she demanded, regretting that she was not able to see his face.

For a second, there was only silence. Then she felt his cool fingers against her skin, opening the bands of her dress.

They were followed by his lips, pressing soft kisses on her bare shoulders, then moving on to her neck.

Ylva let the dress slide down until the golden fabric pooled at her feet. Loki's kisses paused for a second, then he started again, holding one arm around her waist, pressing her against his chest.

Ylva closed her eyes, feeling completely at ease in his arms. She turned around to face him. His lips curled into a smug grin, but his eyes spoke with pure adoration.

He watched the young woman in front of him, her her hair framing her high cheekbones. She was thin, but she didn't look weak. She looked like she had done hard labor for most her life.

Her eyes were again catching his attention. They were burning with passion, and Loki could not decide if it was more Ylva or the wolf inside her. Maybe for once, the woman and the animal were on the same side, wanting the same things instead of fighting each other.

She lifted his tunic, her eyes fixed on his lean chest. Then she kissed him, and Loki forgot why he had been angry at her in the first place.

* * *

 **Thanks for leaving a review! I wish you a happy new year :)**

 **xoxo & Liebe Grüße **


	17. The Sacrifice

"Are you sure he won't notice anything?" Ylva asked, watching Loki breath deeply. He was asleep, and Ylva felt a sting of guilt thinking about what she was going to do to him.

"He won't wake up, Ylva. Hurry now," Skadi said cooly. Her chin-long hair seemed almost silver in the dim light.

Ylva had prepared a letter, a few words she hoped would explain her actions to Loki. It was for the best. For him, for Asgard, for the people she loved.

Ylva followed Skadi outside the palace, wondering why no guard was in their way.

With a look to the goddess, Ylva understood. Apparently, the goddess of hunt was working a spell to cloak them.

"How long is it going to take?" Ylva asked, tugging the woolen blanket tighter around her.

"Not long. A few hours" Skadi explained. Outside the palace, Ylva looked back. She was terrified, and she felt guilty, but she knew there was no other way. She hoped Loki would not hate her for it.

Two horses were waiting for them, and Skadi helped the young woman mount hers.

After a few hours of riding through the harsh cold, Ylva opened her eyes again. Skadi had guided the horses, and Ylva was frozen to the bones.

"It's time," Skadi whispered, her voice almost ghostlike.

"Ullr," Ylva said through her clenched teeth as soon as she recognized him.

"My dear child. You don't have to do this," the Pack Leader's eyes were glowing in the light of the full moon.

"Just tell me you're sure it is going to work," Ylva answered as he helped her from the horse.

They were standing in a clearance in the woods, and the trees were reaching high into the sky around her. A rectangular rock laid in the middle of it, almost as if it had always been there, as if it naturally belonged there. But there were ancient symbols carved on it, and the sight of it made Ylva think of warm, damping blood running down the stone.  
It was terrifying. Ylva freezes, unable to move.

"It's old magic, but it will certainly work. Skadi and I will be able to cast a spell that protects Asgard from the Darkness Thanos has send our way"

"Has someone ever done this before?" Ylva asked, her voice trembling.

Ullr raised his hand and caressed her cheek, his yellow eyes soft with compassion.

"There was a time where everyone in Asgard knew about old magic. Even in Midgard, they sacrificed their cattle or crops to the Gods. Sacrifice bears great power, Ylva. The greater the sacrifice, the more power you can draw from it"

Ylva nodded. Skadi had already told her that much.

"Is it enough to beat this… cloud of Darkness of whatever this is?"

"It is. Ullr and I together, with this kind of sacrifice, it will give us all the strength we need," Skadi said, unusually soft.

Ullr and Skadi together looked more powerful than anything Ylva had ever seen, and their aura was sending shivers over Ylva's body.

"Ylva. You are one of my own. My pack. I would not suggest this to you if I wasn't sure," Ullr said, almost pleadingly. Ylva felt in her heart that he was right. He was the leader. There was nothing she wasn't ready to do for him.

Ullr handed her a rosty, old knife, and then leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead.

"Thank you, Ylva. You truly deserve your place in my pack"

Ylva's hand was clenched around the grip of the knife. It was her duty.

Wolves were brave, she repeated again and again in her head.

Loki was dreaming of Jotunheim. He was being covered in snow, while his skin slowly turned blue.

"Prince Loki? Loki? Please? Wake up!" someone was shouting in the distance, but something was keeping Loki asleep, something was preventing him from leaving the dream.

"Please. Come on. I don't know what to do!"

Loki realized his dream wasn't right. It was like he was himself imprisoned under tons of snow, and he was unable to move.

"LOKI!"

he started to fight. His mind was strong enough, and after a while wich seemed to last forever, he opened his eyes. This wasn't right. Someone had bewitched him, Loki thought.

The girl standing at his bed was certainly not the one who had done it.

"Thank the gods, you are awake! I didn't know you would be such a heavy sleeper!" she bursted, her cheeks reddened.

"Kari, what are you doing in my chambers!" Loki cried out, realizing he was only wearing linen pants. Memories of his night with Ylva came into his mind, but she was nowhere near him.

"I am sorry!" Kari cried back. She looked truly distressed.

"Listen, I hate to say it, but Ylva is going crazy. Again. I just came here to check on her, because after the ball I realized she was gone and I had left with Ullr, who I don't ever want to talk about again and then she was not here but this letter and - "

"Kari, breathe!" Loki commanded, forcing his mind to collect the pieces.

Kari stopped and handed him a letter. "Read it" she simply said.

 _Dear Loki,_

 _I am sorry for lying to you. Last night at the ball, I had a vision. Thanos is sending something dark on the way to Asgard, and it will destroy the whole realm. I can't let that happen. Skadi and Ullr know a way to stop it, but they need my help._

 _I won't be coming back, Loki, and I am truly sorry. The twins will create a wall of ice around Asgard, and promised they'll tell everyone you did it. Maybe then, you can finally reveal yourself of the people of Asgard. You are a great king._

 _I hope you can forgive me. Take care of Kari and my dad for me. I love you. Ylva._

 _"_ Tell me what this means!" Kari demanded, tears in her eyes. "What is she doing? She won't be coming back? I don't understand!"

Loki swallowed hardly. He wanted to feel hate and anger, the feelings that had fueled him for the last years. Now he felt nothing.  
"Neither do I. Let's go ask someone who may does. And then, let us find Ylva" he said, his voice sounding like a stranger's.  
If Ylva's letter meant what he thought it did, then he had lost her already.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for your reviews! :) I hope you enjoy this** **chapter!**

 **xoxo & Liebe Grüße **


	18. The Trap

"Where is my daughter?" Ralf Akesson was straight to the point like always. Apparently, he had already a bad presentiment.

"Gone with Ullr and Skadi, your wolf gods," Loki spat. He was dressed in his full armor, ready to fight until he found Ylva. Fear had replaced the emptiness inside him, and every second he waisted could be the one Ylva made a mistake he couldn't fix.  
He had brought Kari with him, hoping she might be useful.

Ralf muttered something undistinctively. Loki simply handed him Ylva's letter.

The man's eyes turned into slits as he read his daughter's words.

"This is my fault," Loki explained bitterly, "Thanos send this Darkness because of me"

Ralf looked up at him, his hazel eyes somehow absent.

"Ullr and Skadi?"

"That's what I said" Loki hissed back. He had no patience for Ralf's cryptic phrases.

"They can't be trusted," Ylva's father simply said. "It sounds like they want to cast a spell to protect Asgard from this.. thing. They need power, power that only a sacrifice can give them"

Loki thought silently for a moment. He knew about the old kind of magic that demanded certain rituals. It had been forbidden by Odin's father. Loki remembered from his book that it was the same time magical creatures like wargs and witched started to disappear. There seemed to be a connection between the old magic and the power of the werewolves and their descendants.

"A wall of ice around Asgard… for that spell they would need- "

"A sacrifice, Lauffeysson. Not just human. And not forced, but voluntarily," Ralf said, his voice almost breaking away. "Ylva.."

Loki felt like someone punched him in the stomach. A part of him had already known since he read the letter. But hearing it out loud from Ralf Akesson was too much for him.

He had completely forgotten about Kari as her high voice suddenly spoke up.

"But has anyone _seen_ this Darkness Ylva is writing about? I mean, seems like we're pretty safe right? Why has no one else noticed that we're getting attacked?"

Loki and Ralf Akesson simultane turned around to stare at the young girl. She shrugged.

"Ylva seems convinced enough to die for it" Loki said slowly. Her words were not making any sense to him.

Ralf growled:"Because she trusts Ullr and Skadi."

Ylva shivered. She wasn't a hero, or a goddess or a warrior. She was scared, and her fear almost paralyzed her.

Actually, she was quite the opposite of a hero. She was a monster, and she had fallen in love with one. It was for the better if she was the one doing it. Loki would be free of Thanos, free to be finally himself.

Ullr and Skadi stood in front of her, holding hands. It was cold, incredibly cold, and Ylva could hardly move.

She was a coward. Anyone one else would not have hesitated to do it if it was to save the realm.

The twins stared down at her, waiting. Ullr's yellow eyes, and Skadi's black eyes, both of them hard and cold like the stone beneath her.

The images of her father, Loki, her best friend Kari, the twins Ana and Astrid, even Ragna Ragnasson started to appear in her mind. She was a coward. But the wolf wasn't.

Ylva closed her eyes, searching for the wild thing inside her that took over when she was angry.

For the first time, it was't anger that triggered it. It was love, and fear, and desperation, and Ylva felt the hot rush in her veins, making her resist the cold.

Her eyes flashed golden, and with a loud growl, Ylva stabbed the knife into her heart. 


	19. The Long Winter

The picture in front of him was impossible to comprehend.

Ullr and Skadi, standing in front of an ancient rock, their eyes glowing in the dim light. They seemed calm as statues, but a smile played around Ullr's lips.

Snow began to fall, and the ground was covered in ice.

Loki forced himself to focus on the small body laying on the ground beneath Ullr's feet.

Everything else was only a blur. He held Ylva in his arms, her hazel eyes empty, her dress soaked with blood.

"I am sorry for you, trickster. It needed to be her. A wolf of my own pack, giving her own life… there is no greater source of power for us. It is heartbreaking for us all."

Loki couldn't stand Ullr's voice. He couldn't stand anything disturbing the silence.

"A wall of ice? A cloud of Darkness?" Loki spat, looking up to the two gods with pure hate.

Ullr almost looked guilty. Skadi smiled cruelly. Both of them had an aura of immense power, and Loki knew he had no chance of fighting them.

"She fell for that because she loves you, Lauffeysson. She was ready to believe anything if it meant she could save you. It's your fault."

Loki bit down on his lip, holding back his tears. His mind had still not processed that the girl in his arms would not wake up again.

"Thanos has never threatened Asgard. The trickster has been tricked," Skadi added with amusement.

"We just needed to give Ylva the right push," Ullr said, his voice tinged with genuine compassion.

Loki forced himself to look down on Ylva again. Her tanned skin was pale white, and her lips icy blue. Her body seemed to be completely frozen.

"Why?" Loki yelled. "WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS?"

Ullr and Skadi looked at each other. Suddenly, their shapes began to disappear.

"You will know soon enough, Lauffeysson."

With that, the twins were gone, and Loki was left alone in the snow, with Ylva's body in his arms.

The worst part wasn't the hate he felt for these demonic twins. The worst part was the guilt. They were right... It was his fault.

Loki brought Ylva back to her father's hut. Ralf Akesson was already waiting, and his face betrayed no emotion as Loki laid Ylva down on the bed.

He said nothing. He didn't cry, or yell. He just sat next to his daughter, just like he had done when she had gone through the change. Ralf Akesson, the tall, muscular man, could only helplessly stare at the body of his dead child.

~2 days later~

Loki was waiting for Thor in their old rooms.

The god of mischief was done with the lies. Ylva had died believing that he could finally reveal his true self to the people. He would not let her down again.

Loki was not eager to be killed or to be thrown into prison again. But he didn't care. He was completely numb, and it was better than suffering.

He would honor her death by taking this risk. First, Loki would talk to Thor, explaining how he found Odin's body on the steps of the palace, and how he had faked his own death. How he had taken that opportunity. Thor would probably not believe him, and possibly try to kill him, but again - it didn't matter.

Kari had followed him around like a wounded cat, and Loki had not pushed her away.

She didn't seem to blame Ylva's death on him at all. Loki knew better, he knew he had caused everything that happened to Ylva. He would do right by her, and if Thor didn't kill him, he would try and end the twins Ullr and Skadi.

"Father, you wanted to speak with me?" Thor's voice sounded through the door. Loki braced himself.

OoOoO

Ullr and Skadi chanted the words they had memorized years ago. They were glowing with power, power they had acquired through the sacrifice of Ylva Akesson.

The ice block in front of them began to melt. The air was vibrating with their energy, and the full moon was rising above the siblings.

The ice slowly dripped away, and the creature in front of them was finally free.

The wolf shook his fur, stretched, and growled. He was taller than any man, and his fur was deep black. The beast showed its teeth, revealing only bloodlust and hunger. The wolf howled, the terrifying sound piercing through the woods.

"Father," Skadi breathed, smiling brightly.

"Fenrir," Ullr greeted his father.

Fenrir was freed from his shackles and his howl announced a long winter.

* * *

 **First of all, I would like to thank my awesome editor Maegan for fixing my language mistakes! :) This means the story will be much easier for you to read!**

 **Since the next Thor movie is called Ragnarok, my storyline is inspired by the mythological version of it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **xoxo & Liebe Grüße **


End file.
